Fluttering Curiosity
by OneColoredLily
Summary: After finding a mysterious creature known as 'female', Natsu's caveman way of life becomes drastically changed thanks to a girl named Lucy and vise versa. They share many of the same questions about one another and have a limited amount of time to figure them out. Discoveries in the Stone Age are made, finding out what it means to be attracted to someone so different from you.
1. A New Family

**A New Family**

* * *

"You'll like it, there's a lake nearby with tons of fish. Trout, rainbow and salmon in the spring that come up the river," Happy explains enthusiastically. The cat floats beside his companions as they head home, his pure white wings flapping every few beats to keep him in the air.

"I don't care about that. My home is with my tribe, not with you two males," Natsu's female shouts. She struggles over his shoulder like a dying bore twitching for life, crying out its last fighting breath. She claws into the back of his mixed fur coat but the material is too thick to feel her tinny nails through. Her legs in front of him kick the air, sometimes smacking against one of his stout thighs.

"Who cares? I'll chase them off with the power of my Sacred Rod again. Show them who's dominant," Natsu simply says.

While her flailing is nothing he can't handle, having fought against worse things, he can't understand why the female is struggling against him. She saw him chase the Female Tribe off in order to protect her. She should be taking pride in the fact that he's chosen her and not fighting against him. Overtime, he'll learn what this female's every move and intent means but she's a mystery to him as of now.

But none of that matters. After fending off the Female Tribe with a single blow from his Sacred Rod and being honored with the title of Brave, a title reserved for the strongest male in the tribe, Natsu's elated mood can't be thwarted so easily. No other human in the Male Tribe was able to stand up to the females, not even Laxus, who was the former Brave of the tribe. A single look from that red headed female sent Laxus kneeling to the ground with a wave of pain in his crotch. The power of his Sacred Rods had not risen to the challenge but rather had its wrath incurred. Eventually, all of the other males in Natsu's tribe succumbed to the same pain in their crotches, having them fall in battle with little to no resistance.

For a moment or two, it felt as if that was going to happen to Natsu, bringing about a pain in his Sacred Rod he never knew could exist. That pain translated into something completely different once he grabbed onto those large mounds attached to his females' chest. He was originally hoping that somehow she wouldn't be taken away from him, not when he recently claimed her, but instead his Sacred Rod awoke at such a fast and intense rate that it was as if the Gods themselves granted him unlimited power. This female Natsu has chosen allowed him to tap into the power of his Sacred Rod and beat back the other females, having them run off in terror—though why exactly he's still unsure of.

Natsu's Sacred Rod has calmed down since winning such a fierce battle but the euphoria that it bought about hasn't left his system. At the time, it was unnerving to see the power those females held over the males, but thinking about it now is funny to him. It still makes him want to piss in laughter remembering how Gajeel got smashed into the ground by that small, bird-like female with blue hair.

Natsu's earned the right to keep this female.

When he first caught her, he thought she could be lunch for the tribe. After that, he debated about keeping her as a pet. Neither of those things sounded right though. The thought of any male sinking their teeth into her pale flesh makes Igny build in his blood, and she can't be a pet, not when she's human like he is. A very different kind of human but she has feeling, too.

Sensitive feelings from the sound of her high pitch protests, being carried off to Natsu's hut. Located away from the village to keep some privacy, there are dense oaks, maples and pines towering above his home to one side, creating shade and close hunting grounds. The land suddenly cuts off on the other side of the house, dropping to a valley below and providing an excellent view to scout for trouble. Out this far from the main village there's nothing to hear but the call of birds and the territorial cries of chipmunks.

In the season of blooming life, summer is at it's peek with warm, comforting days. The foliage is a vibrant green, trees in full bloom and flowers dance along side them. In this landscape Natsu calls home, the place is perceptually struggling to keep warm, an aspect that doesn't bother him, since he can't really tell the difference in temperature a lot of the time thanks to how feverish his body is. His tribe has set up the village in an area where the winters can be harsh, making it that much harder for the summer to set in properly, regardless of how much the Big Igny shines down. It can make the nights largely contrast to the days, the cold air of the darkness taking on a winter like grasp most of the time no matter if it's summer, especially when the cold wind comes down from the nearby mountains. That doesn't stop life from struggling for a place to belong, as the plants and flowers always come back every year.

Shouldering his way past the treated buffalo skin that acts as the entry door way to his hut, Natsu gently sets the female down on a thick pile of pelts he and Happy use for their nest—silky cougars, course black bear and smaller pelts of fox, raccoon and coyotes. Made of wooden walls and a straw roof, his home is a little run down in places, as Natsu's priorities always shift towards food rather than maintaining his home.

The female immediately scoots to the other side of the nest, pressing her back against the wall and keeping her guard up. "What do you want from me?" she asks intense.

Natsu tilts his head to the side. "Want from you? Nothing. I found you, I get to keep you."

"You can't treat me like some animal."

"Aren't we all animals?"

"Well … yes, but that's not the point."

Happy plops down to lie on top of Natsu's head, ruffling his pink hair. "Don't be scared. Natsu's a really nice guy once you get to know him. He makes an awesome charred boars' meat with his Igny."

Natsu takes to sitting in front of the female on the pelts, crossing his legs and squeezing his dirty feet in both of his hands. "What's your name? I heard it shouted by one of the other females but I wasn't really paying attention," he grins.

She hesitates, judging his sincerity. "… Lucy."

"Oh, that's odd. Doesn't sound very strong. Kind of soft."

"I could say opposite for your name … Natsu."

"Thanks!"

"Seems that everything males do is the opposite of my tribe."

"Your formal tribe," he reminds. "This is your home now. I hope you like it. I know it's not much but you can collect things to bring here, too, if you want."

He realizes that it's a bit of a mess in his house but everything has a reason for being here, mainly because he's developed a habit of collecting memorabilia. Those old spears with splintered handles were the first weapons he made when he was small, there's no way he could discard something that sentimental. Those piles of animal skulls are from his tribes' triumph over the Tiger Tooth Male Tribe from the north, who stupidly thought they could encroach into his tribes' lands. Their reward for their victory was a bountiful feast, taken from the northern tribe's caribou stash. There are old pelts lying around, bits of rock and piles of wood, different herbs and smaller chunks of food that Natsu never bothered to clean up, discarded on the floor. He has to admit that junk like that lying around probably doesn't leave a good impression for Lucy but there was never a point in getting rid of them when he never knew when his last meal would be, living in such a harsh world.

"I don't plan on doing such a thing," Lucy says as if insulted. "Collecting items would mean I've found purchase with my life, something I don't want here."

"Come on, don't be grumpy." Natsu gives her a wide smile, grinning from ear to ear and shrugging easily. "You'll come to like it here soon enough, but we should sleep. The Big Igny in the sky is going down and I'll have to get up early to hunt, since I didn't catch much of anything today." He hums in ponder. "More than usual, now that I have to feed the two of you."

"Don't worry about me, Natsu. I can catch all the fish I want. I've been practicing my hunting skills. I'll even store away extra fish for the winter," Happy says. He rubs at his companion's sunset pink hair before lightly getting off of his head.

Natsu scratches his friends' pointy ear. "As you should be doing."

"I'm not sleeping anywhere near you two," Lucy pouts. She searches the nest disgusted as if looking for ticks, which he's made sure to remove.

"It might be nice during the day but it's getting cold at night with the days getting shorter. I don't exactly want you to die just when I got you."

She juts her chin out. "I won't die from such a thing. I'm a lot tougher than I look."

"You're ten times smaller than me. Except for whatever is on your chest."

Natsu eyes those mounds that rest above Lucy's rib cage, covered by leopard skin and string. He doesn't know what they are exactly. Fat storage maybe? She must be well fed if that's the case. All he knows for sure is that Lucy has some sort of power stored within those lumps that affects his Sacred Rod. He wants to keep her around not only because of the guy-wrenching intuition he has telling him to do so but because of that potential power she can bring to him. Then again, maybe what she did to him earlier isn't what he thinks. He's not sure how to understand all of this, considering he didn't know what a female was when he woke up this morning.

Natsu's startled out of his thoughts when Lucy unexpectedly pounces forward. Her swift movements turn her into a blur that darts past him towards the huts skin door, feeling the way she slices through the air next to him with no hesitation. She has no muscle, ligaments narrow, her entire body soft and curving with the dexterity of a butterfly but,_ damn_, is Lucy fast. Way faster than any other male with their bulky builds. How can she move like that?

Instinct rears its head at this fleeing target, years of hunting practice having Natsu's eyes see not a human running away but rather a rabbit trying to escape from the jaws of death. With an accelerated heart and no thought to what he's doing, Natsu snaps around and snatches Lucy by the ankle. She trips and lands harsh on the dirt floor against her stomach, knocking the breath out of her.

She glares back at him with a sneer, bearing her dull fangs. "Let me go!"

Given that the Female Tribe came after Lucy with weapons and war animals, she means something to them, an aspect Natsu can sympathize with. If he was taken from his tribe, he's sure the other guys would fight for his safe return, as well. But it isn't that simple, at least, not to Natsu. There's something about Lucy he can't give up. From the moment he realized what she was, it doesn't just feel necessary to keep her around but an absolute_ need. _He can't possibly let her go, simple as that. He won't question his gut when it's never steered him wrong before.

Despite this, irritation builds in Natsu's blood at Lucy's refusal to accept that she is his now. He's tried to make this transition as easy as possible for her, showing that he means no harm by being extremely gentle and explaining to her that she has nothing to worry about. It's almost like she's ignored him this entire time with the way she's acting. If soft reassurance isn't going to work then it's going to have to come down to dominance. He needs to make her understand that the claim he's put over her is no small matter. With him being the stronger of the two humans here, it should tell her that he can provide, hunt and give her shelter, that he can keep her happy and comfortable. He won't let Lucy be harmed, not when he considers her apart of his family from this moment onward. She needs to understand these things and if it means having to argue with her to prove his point then so be it.

Natsu drags Lucy back by the ankle and scuffle's her to the ground. He's easily able to capture her frail wrists in his hands and uses his ample weight to drive her down into the dirt floor, keeping her arms pinned above her head. He distinctly notices how much larger his hands are compared to hers, as under the callous of his palms he can feel her wrists bones. It makes him wonder how breakable Lucy really is but he'll think about that later. Hovering above her petite frame, he presses a knee to her inner thigh and keeps it held down, making it harder for her to move around.

Natsu lowers his face to Lucy's, bearing his sharp fangs right back at her. "Stop that," he demands.

She doesn't give into his foreboding presence, either not sensing it or too stubborn to submit right away. She glares at him, that heat in her eyes surprisingly stunning. "Why should I?"

"Because I like you," he admits with a huff. "I don't take things unless they're interesting. Plus, you're fun to have around. I got more excitement out of today then I have in weeks. Beyond that, though, you made my Sacred Rod awaken."

Her eyebrows furrow. "Sacred Rod …?"

"You know, that thing between my legs."

"She doesn't have one," Happy reminds amused, watching them from the nest.

"Shit, that's right." When they first met, she was naked from her bathing and after tackling her to the ground, he got a full look at ... at nothing! There's nothing for the female down there. It absolutely freaks Natsu out. "Did it get injured in a battle? Torn off or something?" he asks curiously.

"Don't say such things," Happy shutters, crossing his legs and curling into a ball.

All around baffled, Lucy unconsciously shakes her head. "I have no clue what either of you are talking about."

"Come on, you have to know what a Sacred Rod is. It's something all males have. It's our pride," Natsu says.

"Well, I'm obviously not a male. I don't seem to have whatever you're talking about."

He backs his head up confused. "Then how do you piss?"

"I am _done _with his conversation," she says appalled.

He lifts up a little to look down her shapely body. For Lucy, there's definitely no bulge where the Sacred Rod should be, it's flat as an open field of wheat past her leopard hide. Unlike him, she's taken to covering a cloth between her legs and wrapping it under the animal skin she wears to cover whatever she could possibly have down there, if there's anything at all. If Natsu did that his Sacred Rod it would cry, as it likes its freedom too much. His thick pelt wrapping that slits to one side and reaches down to his calf legs is good enough to contain his modesty.

"Don't you want to know about one another? You're like me but different," Natsu genuinely asks.

Lucy doesn't say anything to that, but there is a curious intake of breath from her, seeming to take a silent agreement with him. Her earthy eyes linger on his stomach past the opening of his animal vest and slowly inches up towards his face. Natsu can't help but tense up, wondering what she's seeing. How different looking is he in her eyes?

Suddenly, she scoffs and quickly dismisses him. "I don't care to know. I've figured out enough to know you don't want me for me."

Dammit, most males find satisfaction with the basic things needed to be kept alive—simple life and simple happiness. Females aren't the same; at least _his_ female isn't, because from the sound of it she doesn't want objects alone but a bond. He luckily understands that. Being with his tribe for a good chunk of his life, their laughter, teachings and friendship can never replace anything. He would do anything to keep his tribe safe.

"You're not some "thing" to me," he says, locking their eyes together. "You're Lucy. All I want is to have you by my side. It's something ... I feel is right."

Her expression changes into one of utter surprise, making her eyes widen and a small gasp pull against her lips. Redness creeps against her neck and up to her ears, the skip Natsu can hear in her heartbeat having him worry that he ruined everything, as he's only ever heard such a stutter in the heart out of fear. Thankfully, she stops struggling against him, meaning he must have said something right within his honesty.

"I don't want to treat you bad," he says. To prove his point, Natsu slowly lets her go, backing away and giving her some space.

Lucy quickly sits upright and scoots away on her butt towards the skin door.

Panic ripples through his gut, having him snap an arm out and fist the string that connects at the front of her leopard skin top. He pulls back without thinking, and as quick as the lightening that struck Laxus, he notices rosy patches resting on top of those mounds. He almost forgot that she has nipples like he does, having seen them for the first time when he caught her bathing, but it's the large chest they sit upon that first clued him into the fact that she was a different from him—and then all hell broke loose when he looked down at her crotch to see nothing but light blond hair.

Lucy squeals and swats frantically at his arm. "Let go!"

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to! Don't get closer to the door though. That's all I ask," Natsu says worried, releasing the string.

Despite her sneer and the way she crosses an arm over her chest, as if she can hide her hills from him, she doesn't move farther away. She sits defensively, legs curled as if ready to run and her head ducked low, prepared to head-butt him if he gets close enough.

"Uh, do girls not show their chests?" he asks confused.

"No, we do not. We are modest in our ways," she says hard.

"I don't really get it but …" He sighs exasperated, rubbing a hand across his upper lip. "Look, I'm not going to hurt you and I don't want to make you unhappy. You might not like it but I want to keep you around. You're pretty. Strange but pretty. I want to—" He looks to the ground frustrated, trying to find the right words. "You don't have to trust me but don't run away. We'll get to know one another and then you'll see that I'm not such a bad person."

Happy comes around to stand beside Natsu. "It's better to stay here with him than any of the other males. Mas Ter doesn't seem to like you, Gray will throw his Sacred Rod at you constantly without mercy and I'd hate to see what would happen if you got around the others. You're getting off easy with this simple caveman."

"_Thanks_," said caveman snorts.

Seeming to trust some of the cat's words, Lucy's flustered expression relaxes a little. She looks into Natsu's midnight eyes. He holds completely still, letting her do her thing.

Past the insult, Happy is both right and wrong. The males of the Tribe took Natsu in without question after Igneel, his adoptive parental figure, disappeared. Natsu was found by Mas Ter in the woods long ago with starvation hollowing out his small body and predators hovering nearby, waiting for him to die of a broken heart. For the longest time, he didn't feel the need to avoid the elements, content to wait for Igneel in the exact spot he last saw the fire dragon. It wasn't until Mas Ter reached a hand out to help him that he saw something in the old man's kind expression. It looked like a glimmer of hope for the future. A reminder of what Igneel told Natsu; that thinking of the future will make him want to live.

All those years ago when Natsu was first brought to the Male Tribe, the younger males around his age—Gray, Elfman, Jet and Droy—showed him what it meant to find friends. The older males taught him the ways of being human, such a foreign concept to him at the time when all he knew was the way of the dragon. All of them showed this once depressed child what it meant to look forward to the future again, learning how to survive on his own in what was normally considered such a helpless world. After all these years, Natsu would trust his fellow males with anything.

That's why it's a complicated situation when Natsu thinks about them interacting with Lucy. She's new territory, someone he isn't sure how the others will react to. Whats worse is that there's something about Lucy that's powerful enough to bring about the wrath of all of their Sacred Rods. He's not entirely sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Will they fear her? She'll definitely fear them, considering her behavior so far. They might want to use her as a weapon to incur their Sacred Rods again but the thought of anyone else tapping into her power makes Natsu fist his hands. The guys would be using her like some object instead of acknowledging her as his new family member. Sure, he might want to tap into that power, too, but Lucy doesn't seem too keen on getting near him right now and he's not going to force her to do anything she doesn't want to. One day he would like grab her chest again and figure out what makes her so compelling to his Rod but he'll wait for her to get more comfortable before that happens.

For her own safety, Natsu decides to keep Lucy to himself until she's ready to meet the other males and to make sure that the guys don't do something stupid. A lot has happened in a short amount of time and thrusting her back into the world of the males may not go well if she's so averse to simply sleeping in the same house as him. Maybe in the meantime keeping Lucy safe will allow her to bond with him. That way, she'll be happy.

There's also a stirring within Natsu's heart, a settling seed becoming one with that beating organ, that he can't understand. He continues to be bothered by the other males' reactions towards Lucy. Beyond their confusion, weariness and hostility, something about their Sacred Rods awakening because of her and having them bow before his female that doesn't sit right with him.

Slowly lowering her arm, Lucy lets her breath go and reluctantly says, "I'll stay."

The pit in Natsu's stomach lifts away and he glows with pride, having successfully persuaded such a stubborn person to live with him.

Happy dashes up to the female and raises an arm, as if saluting hello. "Glad to have you here," he smiles.

Something about the talking animal intrigues her and she gives him a small smile back.

Jealousy rises through Natsu—why does she accept this male easily when he's the one that will provide for her?—but he tries to stuff it away. Everyone can't help but be drawn to Happy, a natural affect he has on those around him with his plush fur and wide eyes. Natsu will make it his goal to receive such a smile from Lucy someday.

"You have to promise me one thing though," Natsu says.

Eyeing him wary but willing, she asks what that could be.

"You have to swear that you will not leave this house unless you're with me. Not until I can trust that you won't run off."

"At all? But what if I want to bathe? Have to pee or something?"

He shrugs. "Then I'll stay close by."

Her upper lip pulls back in disgust. "You can't expect me to have you follow my every move."

"I want to make sure I can trust you. You say that you'll stay the night but what about tomorrow?"

Sighing heavily, she turns away from him and looks at the floor. "You don't have to worry about that. I promise that I will stay here."

Not liking her eyes turning away from him during such a large promise, Natsu reaches forward and gently grips her chin, turning her head up to look at him. He hovers his face close to hers and locks their eyes together, the tips of their noses bumping. "You swear?" he asks intent.

Breathless but for a moment, she quietly says. "Y-yes."

"Thanks," he smiles brightly, letting her chin go.

"But I'm not sharing the same nest with you!" she quickly interjects. "I-I'll take one of the furs and sleep at the other corner."

"I'm telling you, you're not gonna like it. The air may be warm but sleeping on rock hard dirt is going to hurt and make you cold," he says.

"I'll deal with that on my own."

"Fine but if you end up hating it don't be afraid to come ball up with me and Happy."

* * *

**XxXxXxX**

* * *

Lucy doesn't want to admit that the male was right. She can't. Not when the only possible outcome to her defeat would be to crawl into Natsu's nest and sleep beside him.

The hard dirt floor against her hip sets it aching and no matter how long she tries to sleep in the same position, the ground doesn't warm underneath her. The heavy bear pelt wrapped around her does little to help. The dirt is frozen down to its core, trying to capture her life force while she sleeps. The cool night's air serpents it's away inside the hut, creating an unwanted second blank that overtakes all other senses. Natsu didn't bother lighting an Igny before going to sleep, apparently none too concerned with the drop in temperature and sleeping contently in this chill.

How can the heat in the air drop this drastically from night to day? It never felt this cold back at the Female Tribe, Lucy thinks. When it would become this cold, all of the females would take to sleeping in one large hut, surrounded by Igny and the warmth of companionship. Males don't seem to be the same, keeping strictly to their own territories and not sharing the land. How do any of them survive the winter? It must be because the Male Tribe is located up in the mountain range, in contrast to the Female Tribe that is located on the flat plains down below in the valley where warm air gets trapped.

Upon the morning that changed her life drastically, Lucy had her bathing ritual interrupted by a strange looking creature that tried to impale her with a spear. Past her surprise and confusion, she could tell right away that Natsu was human but not quite like her—his build wider and muscles taunt with strength that is unimaginable in the human body. Being in such an exposed state, confusion was warded off in favor of defense, as she fished out from the pond the spear that he luckily missed her with and chucked it back at him.

Lucy knew she was in trouble the moment Natsu swiftly dogged the spear and caught it one handed. Seeing as she couldn't fight, she took to running. She's normally light on her feet, considered one of the faster women of her tribe, but this male was able to outrun her and eventually pin her to the ground with ease, an astonishing outcome.

After coming to find that Natsu didn't know what she was either, Lucy took his every action as life or death. He wrapped tree vines around her wrists and ankles, tied her to a stick and brought her back to his village with the help of his flying cat (although Lucy's not entirely sure what Happy is, but his appearance is closest to that of the feline animal). He put her humiliatingly up on display in the middle of his tribe, all of them the mysterious species she came to know as 'male'.

Yet everything Natsu did was done out of curiosity and caution, not out of hostility. He never once threatened her, instead treating her like a newly discovered animal. He was as confused of her as she was of him, only he went about it strangely. Everything he did came down to simplicity, straight forward in his actions and talk. When she thinks about it, it becomes obvious that Natsu tied her up not because she was to be cooked alive but in case she was dangerous to him. When Lucy's tribe came to save her, Natsu didn't treat her as if she was a hostage but rather wanted to keep the females away for Lucy's _own_ protection.

Thank the Gods for small favors though. After gaining more knowledge from the village elder, Natsu came to realize that she was human like him and deemed her worthy of kindness. From the way he had spoken to her throughout the day, he truly doesn't see her as a scrap of meat, having promised to take care of her and that she was now a member of his family. Perhaps he sees her more as a defenseless baby bird.

It's something Lucy doesn't understand. Why would Natsu want to keep her around? He said that she's entertaining, fascinating in a way, and maybe he's keeping her around because of how different they are from one another, but that's not a good enough reason for her to be kept away from her family.

With a full day having gone by in getting to know this boy, Lucy is no longer afraid of him. Despite his obvious size telling her she should fear him, as he outweighs her by a good eighty pounds from the look of it—an aspect she felt at full force when he pinned her to the ground on multiple occasions today—she came to accept that Natsu isn't a bad person. His actions and words are much too blunt to hide anything but the truth. She's never met anyone else with eyes as pure as rain, letting his soul leak out from their depths and sincerity drip from his every action. He genuinely wanted to know Lucy's name, to tell her that she was welcomed in his home and to try to understand her.

The shiver that rocks through Lucy's body starts off normal but with no improvement to her body temperature, it becomes a convulsion that shakes her entire body against the ground.

Is she so stubborn as to die on the floor? The cold might not kill her right away but if her body were to become frail ... Without Wendy, the healer of her tribe, how would she survive the pain and sickness? Lucy has seen many females get ensnared in mighty winter's grasp, nothing to be done beyond comfort them as they slowly faded away. She doesn't want that for herself. No matter where she might be and who she's with, death is not an option.

She agreed to stay the night at Natsu's, realizing past her panic at being captured the horrible mistake she could have made. If Natsu hadn't stopped her from leaving then where would she have gone? The land is new, the nights are colder in the mountains and she doesn't know what kind of life could be leering in the woods. It's better to take a chance in this male's hut then to venture out to her possible death.

Across from her, Natsu and Happy curl warmly in their cozy nest. The bigger male gives a light snore under the pelts, a consistent tone like the crickets outside of the hut that would normally soothe Lucy to sleep. Happy has taken to wrapping himself in the smaller pelts, looking to have the head of a blue cat but the body of an orange fox. Neither of them shivers in the night, their breathing even with contentment and dreams.

Lucy groans and rubs her forehead into the floor, her envy in them making her pride burst. She can't take this dry, desolate aching anymore! She'd rather let embarrassment in defeat rule her life then have death win.

The moment she stands, her hip screams in pain and the cold wraps around her legs past the bear skin, trying to keep a hold of her. Quickly going to the nest, she eyes the lump that would be Natsu under many layers of fur and finds an opening in the pelts. She sets the bear skin above him before working her way under the covers. The trapped heat washes over her but doesn't penetrate her skin right away, as her legs and hands continue to feel like blocks of ice. Even in the warmth of the pelts she shivers.

Unable to see Happy due to him being on the other side of Natsu, Lucy faces the male for warmth and silently watches him as her body grows accustom to the heat his body shares with her under the pelts. He looks different in sleep compared to the active, wide eyed awareness of the day—face smooth and his salmon pink hair rustled with sleep. There's something truly defenseless about him in the night. Being this close to him without uncertainty staining her mind, she comes to notice how he smells of the forest, pine burning into smoldering ash, a soothing scent that tells of protection and … strangely enough, a glimmer of home.

_Are you going to be okay, Princess?_

That would be Virgo. Although Lucy might not be able to see the owner of the voice, she knows that within those bright stars that dot the heavens, she has friends that watch over her. Virgo's bodiless voice, along with many others, has been with Lucy her whole life. They are her guardians that guide her through life. She was waiting for one of them to come around.

**I'm fine,** Lucy thinks. She does more than thinking to talk to her spirit friends. It's more like talking with the soul, effortless by this point in her life.

_Shall I punish this male for taking you away?_

**No punishing. … Maybe have him drop in a hole as pay-back but nothing more.**

_I can't believe you were stupid enough to get caught like that!_

Lucy cringes a little. That would be Aquarius. **I didn't mean to. Sorry.**

_Don't come crying to me for help because of your own stupidity. I have an outing to go on with Scorpio. Interrupt and you die._

**Yes, ma'am.**

_If you need anything, Princess, we're never too far away. Shout if you need help._

**Thank you. I … I'm okay for now.**

Sensing her spirits drifting away like a veil of soft fur rubbing gently against the skin, Lucy sighs quietly to herself as her soul goes quiet.

Through the chaos, Lucy does have to admit one thing: her main reason for not clawing and biting at Natsu to get away at whatever the cost is based upon one simple fact.

Curiosity.

He intrigues her quizzical mind. They're both human yet seem entirely different from one another. He's much bigger then her physically, eyes sharp and jaw line cut, body straight-lined. And yet when he sleeps burrowed beneath the pelts in peace, she's reminded of a small animal finding happiness with its life. There's also what Natsu calls his Sacred Rod. She got a glimpse of it before when her tribe was chased off but all she saw was perhaps something sticking up between his legs. Whatever it is, it's obvious that she doesn't have one, an aspect that Natsu finds horrifyingly odd.

Is it worth not struggling to figure out what Natsu is? Lucy can't help but feel that there's a fine-line taking place. She wants to know what he is but also feels that she can't stay here for her own curious needs. She has to go home where she belongs, where she was raised most of her life and where her family is waiting. After what the Female Tribe did for her today, whether it was a failed attempt or not, she feels she owes them some sort of effort to escape.

Besides the obvious reasons to leave, Lucy also wants this new thumping in her chest to stop. In the aftermath with his victory against the females, Natsu stripped Lucy of her vines and placed his hand gently on top of her head, saying that she was his from that point forward. He was so elated at that fact, his caresses telling of fondness and that smile of his having a certain charm to it. Those touches and that look did something to Lucy's heart. Something she's never experienced before.

It fluttered. Like the wings of a humming bird, it soared in her chest, and Lucy's not sure if that's good or bad.

* * *

**XxXxXxX**

* * *

"Natsu. Hey, Natsu," Happy whispers groggily. His little paws nudge against said males' shoulder above the pelts, disturbing his slumber. It's like waking up a grumpy bear.

"Go away," Natsu groans, smothering further into the furs.

"You told me to wake you up before the Big Igny."

"I changed my mind."

"Get up, lazy. You have to go hunting. Don't you want to get a good meal for Lucy?"

Natsu's eyes snap wide open upon the female's name.

That's right—everything that happened yesterday! Flashes of sound, colors and smells unravel before his senses, stopping upon one face. A girl with long golden hair and soft features.

Natsu quickly leans up on his forearm, frantically searching for Lucy in the waning darkness of the hut as if she was some kind of dream. Alarm grows when he doesn't find her. It isn't until something softly touches the back of his thigh under the pelt that Natsu looks over his shoulder, finding that Lucy had crawled into the nest with them last night. She sleeps at ease against her side, the black bear pelt pulled up to an ear and having her burrow into the warmth of the nest.

Relieved, Natsu turns back to Happy. "Thanks buddy. I'll get right on bringin' back that fish I promised you for waking me up."

"You do that," he says tired. Wrapping himself in the pelts, he goes back to sleep.

Sitting up without any heed of the cold and looking at the girl that he's taken in, Natsu debates once again about leaving her alone. He's slightly afraid she'll go back on her promise to stay but there has to be some trust shown between them if they're going to be together for the remainder of their lives. Plus, there's sincerity to Lucy, that no matter how hard she tries to deny her feelings and no matter how defensive she might sound, that she'll keep her promises. At the very least, this one promise to stay throughout the night and into the morning. Beyond that is what concerns him.

In the distance, a wolf cries out as the midnight black of the forest gets replaced by the violet purple of the rising Igny.

* * *

**Authors Notes: **

**This is simultaneously the weirdest and most entertaining thing I have every written.**


	2. Refusal To Accept

**Refusal to Accept**

* * *

What's she up to this time? Natsu thinks sullen.

Lucy sits in the middle of the nest, radiating an unnerving stillness that shouldn't accompany most humans. The intensity of her dark, brown eyes refusing to leave his back forms a knot at its base. He can't help but think that she's waiting for him to screw up somehow, whether that's by breaking something accidentally or by opening his fat-mouth. She hasn't been one to verbally degrade him but there's something about the way she's acting that's almost intimating. With males, intimidation comes from bodily displays, a chest puffing up or fists being raised. Females apparently don't need such displays, as the coldness in her eyes is enough.

Like Natsu expected, she's pissed from being kept here. He's no fool as to why she's upset. She's repeated over and over that she wants to go back to the Female Tribe, that she doesn't belong at his side and that she can't be kept here forever. These mantras have echoed in his eardrums over the past few days. How can he possibly explain that what she's saying is wrong without further pissing her off? He can't. The concept of Lucy being his now is not something that's going over smoothly. He's been in far worse fights—she hasn't tried to scratch at him since the first night she was brought here—and he can only hope that this will come to an end soon. Right now, his biggest concern is making sure he doesn't do anything to make her even more upset.

Natsu reaches into the Igny and readjusts the flat rock that sits on top of the log pile, his fingers feeling nothing but a slight ting of heat that tickles. The Igny's soft ash and amber glow make for the perfect setting to cook some bird eggs, a prize on its own, considering eggs of this size are hard to come by. They sizzle on top of the flat rock, their yolks vibrating in the heat while the edges turn a light, golden brown.

"Are they done yet?" Happy asks eager. He sucks back in a slather of drool that almost comes out his mouth.

"Just about, Buddy. Hey, Lucy, you gonna sit there all day? Breakfast is almost done."

Her eyebrows lower in a scowl.

Natsu frowns. "Don't be stubborn. I'm not about to hand-feed you the damn things."

"I wasn't asking for you to do that," she snaps.

He bites his tongue, though there's much he could say. They've been through this before. If he tries to argue with her, it always rounds back to Lucy ignoring him. He's not very good with words, and he's come to find that the Gods are playing with him, having chosen a female that works more on verbal logic then physical logic. That makes it hard for him to seriously confront her on most things. If it was any other guy, he wouldn't hesitate to take an actual swing, but the thought of doing that to Lucy doesn't sit well with him. She might try to act tough, and he knows that she won't hesitate to put up a fist, but her body is just so … _tinny. _Communicating with her right now seems impossible.

Ever since Lucy woke up on her first morning here, Natsu has mostly tolerated her attitude. The start of that morning seemed fine. He returned home from an early hunting trip and found her trying to light an Igny in the ash pit of the house. She kept rubbing stones together, the usual way most humans try to light an Igny when they've never worked with the flames before. He wanted to show her how to use tinder and rocks but as soon as he tried helping her, she became disinterested. It almost felt like a slap in the face when that happened. Since then, Lucy has been quick to act out and will start up her usual mantra at any opportunity.

What bothers Natsu more than anything is her unwillingness to interact with him and Happy. He invites her to participate in little events, maintaining the house, sewing pelts or playing game, but she would rather be left alone. It's an option Natsu doesn't like very much. Leaving Lucy alone inside the house is too sad to watch, guilt eating at him every time he catches a glimpse of that lonely human caged in the fading light of the house. Bonding through personal stories and fairy tales is out of the question at this point between them. He can talk for hours without hesitation, which he doesn't mind doing even if she refuses to interact back. She doesn't encourage his running mouth but he can tell that she's listening, an aspect that counts for something when it comes to her inner kindness.

In these past days, she's acted more like a dumbfounded animal rather than another human living in his house. It isn't as if Lucy is a ravenous beast. Rather, she floats around with cautious movements, skittish and afraid to be touched. She doesn't do anything besides exist. Now, she's existing but with a silent rage. It doesn't make things any easier for Natsu when it comes to simply getting used to _her_. She's human, of course, so there's no big difference between interacting with her and another male. Yet, it's still shocking at times to turn around and find someone with a large chest, wide hips and skin that's delicate enough to see blue veins running through.

With a stick, Natsu lightly pushes Happy's sunny-side up egg onto a clay plate. "Here you go," he smiles.

"Awesome, it's been too long since we've had eggs," Happy says giddy, holding the plate close to his furry chest.

"I'm surprised you want anything other than fish. Don't burn—"

Happy begins to nibble on the edge of his egg and gets his tongue burned. He spits the egg out and gives a pitched yelp.

"What'd I just say?" Natsu comments dull.

He slowly turns uncertain eyes towards Lucy. Her stubbornness in order prove she's in the right—wanting to return to her homeland—is being done in a stupid way this morning. He's given short guesses as to why she's refused to move from the nest, thinking at first that she was too cold to want to leave or was too tired to try. Yet, the more ridged she sits, the more obvious it's becoming that she's trying a new tactic to show her protests in living with him. Also, doesn't it hurt to press her chest together like that? She's crossing her arms tightly, forcing those squishy hills on her chest to come together and form a deep cleavage line. Natsu guesses it must not hurt her.

He mentally sighs. How is this going to work out if she doesn't give him a chance?

It's when Natsu kneels in front of Lucy and hands her eggs sizzling on a clay plate that he realizes how serious she is. She turns her nose away from the tempting smell of food. "No, thank you," she hisses.

He backs his head up in astonishment. "What? Who says no to food?"

"Some people do," Happy comments from his spot near the Igny, eating his cool-blown eggs. "Not everyone eats like you do."

"That's not the point. Come on, Lucy, they'll get cold if you don't eat them right away."

"I said I don't want them," she refuses.

"That's dumb. Just eat." He shoves the food towards her. Beyond turning her head back around to glare at him, she doesn't move.

He raises an eyebrow in confusion, the thought of refusing to eat out of retaliation insane to him. Who_ does_ that?

"Does your tummy hurt?" Happy asks concerned.

"That's not it," she says quieter.

Narrowing his eyes, Natsu demands. "Eat them."

She switches to a harder tone while talking to him and sharply says no.

"I'm not going to have you starve on me. I promised you'd be happy here."

"I'd be happier if I returned to my homeland."

"How many times do I—_this_ is your home now," he insists. "I can't take care of you if you won't let me. I want you to be happy around here, Lucy."

To that, her shoulders rise in surprise and she doesn't say anything back, this time silent not out of stubbornness but from being stunned.

"Come on, you two, stop fighting," Happy says careful.

One hand grabs a fist-full of hot eggs, which is nothing more than mild heat to the Igny bringer, while Natsu's other hand pulls at Lucy's upper pelt, tugging her forward. Forget about one of her nipples almost being shown, her refusing to eat is too dumb for him to care. "Eat!" he demands agitated.

He puts his hand near the edge of her tightly closed mouth. He debates about shoving the food down her throat but seeing how small she is, he doesn't want to accidentally choke her. He pokes the side of her cheek with the tips of his fingers that are greasy from the food.

She bites him.

"Geez, Lucy!" Natsu exclaims shocked. He snaps his hand away from her and the eggs drop in giggly globs against the nest. He quickly waves his hand in the air to try and blow away the sting of her teeth biting into him. While she doesn't make him bleed, he can see left-over teeth marks near the second joint on three fingers.

"Lucy …" Happy says unsure.

"Leave me alone," she sighs.

Natsu sneers at her. "Fine! You didn't have to bite me for trying to help you."

After that, he takes to ignoring her. Lucy's stupid behavior can't last forever. Besides, if she's going to be childish then he can play right into her game. On a bigger note, hunger pains are a hard thing to live with.

She fuses her butt to the nest for the rest of the day. Beyond getting up every-once-in-a-while to relieve herself, that's all she does. Astonishingly, she never relaxes her death glare. He can easily sense it, even when his back is turned on her. Lucy is small but she holds a lot of fury.

* * *

**XxXxXxX**

* * *

As the Big Igny moves across the sky, Lucy's stomach gets louder. It gets uncomfortable to the point she pretends to lie down and take a nap. In reality, the hunger pains are making her double over. She remembers this familiar sensation, the way the stomach twists inward on itself, a stabbing pain that is relentless in its demands. It's been a long time since she last felt this kind of pain.

Before she came to the Female Tribe, she had to rely on others to fill her belly. For the first couple years of her life, Lucy vaguely remembers two people that accompanied her. There was a female, someone who was very kind and had an exceptionally sweet voice. She called that person 'Mother'. It's a strange word she doesn't hear often. The other female … Wait, _was _that person female? Lucy always thought up until now that they were, but after seeing that males exist, the body structure of this person makes more sense as something a male would carry. Perhaps they were and she never realized it. What a revelation that is! She called that person 'Papa', another strange word that isn't used often by others.

Lucy wishes she could clearly remember Mother but she can only envision an outline and blond hair. Not even that sweet voice rings clearly within her mind anymore. Rather, it's a notion that the voice was pleasant and nothing more. Papa is the same way, the rest of him disappearing into a void of forgetfulness. He did have short hair and she thinks more hair on his face, but that doesn't sound right. Regrettably, she was too young to fully commit to mind who these people were and what they meant to her.

And then, one day, Mother started coughing. Deep and concerning, chocking in the throat kind of noises. And then it stopped. She stopped.

After that, Papa's voice turned menacing, unsettling Lucy with every shout that was directed at her. Coldness overtook someone who once cared deeply for her well-being.

Something started to hurt within Lucy. To a young, impressionable mind, she believed that she was abandoned not only by Mother but by Papa, as well. Despite Papa being physically with her, it was as if she had lost both of her only companions in a short amount of time. The despair of such a thing drove her to wonder east, in the direction of where that big ball of light would rise every morning, without any warning to Papa that she would be leaving. Lucy had to cling to some kind of hope after feeling alone for so long. She thought she'd eventually reach the horizons edge, get to touch the Big Igny and see those stars that always talk to her.

Starvation became a consistent companion to Lucy after that, a friend to her as much as her celestial stars were who promised to always stay her side. She was too young to hunt properly. Forget getting any sort of protein, the best she could do was watch what the herbivores ate and go from there. She can't help but think how lucky she was that Erza decided to go on a training session towards the west, off where sand collects in mouth-drying relentlessness. One girl heading east and the other heading west crossed paths.

But no matter the discomfort in Lucy's stomach right now, she can't let Natsu know that she's regretting this plan of hers. Neither can she let him see the tears that have come forth due to these memories.

She can tell watching her suffer throughout most of the day saddens Natsu. But why should he be sad? He should have known this was coming. What else could he have expected? That she'd welcome this life with open arms? The way he treats her unwillingness to be here as if it's nothing is what makes her the maddest.

While she's stuck here, Lucy's been studying Natsu. Her need to return home is the top priority but that doesn't mean she can't observe the male species while she has the opportunity. The way he carries himself is sedated compared to most females, compensating for the muscular weight he has. Cleanliness isn't thought of much, as Natsu is covered in a thin layer of dust much of the time. Dirt is permanently embedded under his nails. It seems that bathing rituals are not done routinely among men, a disgusting aspect to Lucy. Natsu's pink hair is another matter though. He will untangle it when he can and is always brushing his bangs back from his forehead. From how he lifts his arms or takes to sitting down, from what comes out of his mouth, to the gestures he makes, so far there isn't too much of a difference between males and females. Of course, Natsu can't represent how all males act but it's a start.

Waking up from a short nap, as it's easier to ignore the hunger pains in her sleep, Lucy finds Natsu flexing the hand that she bit. He clenches and unclenches it, a thoughtful look on his face as he repeats the action. She sits up and frowns slightly.

Lucy didn't think that she'd actually hurt him. Sure, he was pissing her off but was biting him going too far? She's never been one to hurt someone without cause, and while Natsu is being stupid for keeping her here …

"Do you have aloe vera?" she asks.

He looks up surprised when she talks to him. He sits near the doorway sharpening a rock for hunting use. "I don't know what that is …"

"It's a thick type of plant that's spiky and has juices."

"Uh … Oh! Yeah, I know what you're talking about." He gets up and goes to a woven basket tall enough to reach the waist. He rummages through it until he pulls out a chunk of what she asked for. "What do you want with this?" he asks, going to her.

She examines the aloe vera plant, making sure it's not the poisioness kind. When the color and texture reassure her that it's safe, she tears open the thick plant, its medical juices pouring out of its opening. Without having to ask, Natsu sits beside her in curiosity.

"Give me your left hand," she requests.

"Okay," he says confused, doing as asked.

She slathers a thick layer of aloe vera juice on the tips of her fingers and brings it to his second knuckles. She's pretty sure she bit him that far up.

"I might be doing this but I'm still not apologizing for biting you in the first place," she says quietly.

He pauses in surprise but is quick to dissolve into a smile, chuckling a little. "Nah, it's nothin'. You didn't really hurt me. I was only thinkin' how funny it was that you actually bit me."

The way his eyes crinkles around their edges with happiness and how his smile turns into a lop-sided grin, emphasized in a way that only a boy is able to do, it seems, makes her heart stutter. What a foolish reaction. Lucy tries to push it aside the best she can. While is was a defining reason for not clawing at Natsu, attempting to get away no matter the coast, overtime she's decided that nothing good can come from it.

"Have you thought about letting me go?" she asks intent.

Natsu takes his hand back when it's coated in a thick layer of the plant juice. "You know, I think _I'm_ the one in the right, wanting you here."

"Why _do_ you want me here? You keep saying that over and over but you don't tell me why."

"Hmm … it's hard to explain. I feel it in my gut, is all." His lips tighten together. "I would feel even better if you ate, you know."

"Now you're asking for too much."

In the middle of the night, Lucy's hunger gets bad enough that she wakes up from the pain and has a hard time falling back asleep, which only makes things worse from being awake and aware of the hunger. Gods, what a mistake she made letting it go this far. She wishes she could push aside her pride and admit to her mistake, but when her captor doesn't take her situation seriously, it's hard to let go.

Apparently, her stomach wakes Natsu, as well. "Will you please eat somethin'?" he asks groggily, lying next to her in the nest.

Hearing that only makes Lucy harden down. "Go back to sleep," she demands.

On the second day of her protest, Natsu plays dirty. She didn't think he could be tactical but there are many sides to one person. The breakfast he's chosen for this morning is a snow chicken, skipping to what would be considered an afternoon meal. The smell of the roasting bird coats the air in a tempting, mouthwatering way. She eyes the roasting pheasant with the predatory breathing habits of a starving animal, squirming where she sits in the nest. Her thighs rub together in anticipation. Even that little movement hurts her hips, having sat in the same spot long enough that her muscles have gone stiff. She stretched her limbs whenever she left for the bushes, but without food or water coursing through her body, the less need there is to relieve herself and hence less movement.

Natsu comes over to Lucy with the plucked bird steaming on a stick, jabbed through its cooked body. He hands her the entire thing. At the time, she's unable to acknowledge what a gesture like that means for someone like Natsu, as this is a boy who could eat the bird whole on his own and yet he gives it up entirely for her.

"Aw, come on, I want some of that!" Happy pouts.

"Shut it and let her have it," he says.

Lucy takes in a sharp breath, hissing between her clenched teeth. The sound is a farce compared to the meek protest she puts up. "I don't want it."

He raises an eyebrow dubiously. "Yes, you_ do_."

"If she doesn't want it, I'll take it," Happy begs.

She hesitates, playing into her stubbornness. After all this time, she doesn't want to give in too quickly. It'd be too embarrassing to do so. Pretending that she doesn't want the bird, she slowly reaches out for it with a glower. She eyes the thing as if it's poisoned, having Natsu sigh at her antics. The succulent smell of the cooked bird almost makes her pass out and her stomach growls louder than it has ever before. She takes a little nibble of its crisp skin and comes undone. She eats the entire bird, something she can normally never accomplish on any given day. Manners are forgotten as she scarves it down to the bone.

Natsu nods satisfied. "See? Being here isn't that bad."

"I wanted some of that chicken," Happy grumbles, eating old fish for breakfast.

But the more Natsu wins, the more it makes Lucy's pride come down. "Okay, okay, I won't do something like this again—but! That does not mean I accept living here."

"I know."

That makes her pause. "You do? Does that mean …?"

"No, I don't want you to leave," he says serious. "If I was taken away from my home, I'm sure I'd be as pissed as you are, but this goes beyond what you think it is."

"That this is some type of fate, you mean. That gut feeling you were telling me about?"

"I suppose. Fate is something I don't like. I've been told on more than one occasion that fate is what causes shit to go sour. I'd rather burn it away and decide my own way in life. The one thing I can always trust is what my gut tells me though. Igneel taught me that. I can tell that you're wanted here and I wasn't about to question that."

She slowly lowers her food, the leftover, hallow outline of the mostly eaten chicken left on its stick. She's not too sure who Igneel is, but he must be held in high regard to Natsu if his words are taken seriously by this boy. "Do you think that's something I'll understand one day?" she asks tentative.

He cocks his head to the side. "You don't have to understand it. Sometimes it's better to go with it. Maybe this is a guy thing." He smiles bright. "But it would be nice if you came to be happy here one day. Having you here makes me happy, and I want you to be happy, too."

Lucy's heart gallops and runs away to get lodged as a lump in her throat. Gods, why can't she control this sensation, this humming bird's wing coming on at full force? Every time Natsu gives those meaningful smiles this happens to her.

Maybe it's the sedated hunger, the loneliness or the confusion as to why this boy would choose her, but she has to admit that she sympathizes with Natsu a little. His tone, that unwavering decision in his eyes and the way he faces her head on all says that he truly believes that she belongs here. He doesn't see what he's done to her as anything but the right thing. To Lucy, it seems that Natsu finds this to be some type of destiny, a concept that she understands and even superstitiously adheres' too, but …

She turns her eyes away from him. "If you say so."

He leans to the side to try and see what her issue is but she refuses to look at him. "Well, at the very least, I'd rather you ignore me then starve yourself over this. Come on, lift your chin. Things could be worse."

Once the conversation between them dies down, Lucy continues the rest of the day nauseous. After not eating for so long and then suddenly having a full stomach, eating a whole snow chicken was a bad idea. She remains in the nest for the rest of the day not out of protest but because of nausea.

This is what she gets for going about this foolishly. Thinking that starving herself would have Natsu feel sorry for her and let her go was a stupid decision. After talking with him about why he's keeping her here, that look in his eyes was never going to waver no matter what she did. Besides that, she should have known from the start she didn't have enough fortitude to carry out such a strategy. She doesn't want to admit it but in the food department she can be a little weak.

Next is to push past the more complicated parts. With her hunger set aside, Lucy's biggest concern is the building empathy she has for Natsu. It's alarming to realize how such a thing formed so slowly, so stealthily through each little interaction with him. Along with the way her heart can react to him at times, it's something she also can't afford to have. Ignore it and don't admit to it, that's the best she can do.

She's going to have to form another plan of escape. If being stubborn and trying to act tough isn't the way, then maybe the opposite effect is necessary.

* * *

**XxXxXxX**

* * *

"Do you need anything, Natsu?" Lucy asks merrily.

He watches her flutter around the house, casually touching things as if with admiration for their textures. The way she smiles has him sit tighter, almost hunching over from being unable to control this urge to cringe away from her behavior. "No, I'm good," he says.

"What about another piece of boar leg? Or maybe I could head out and search from some berries."

"You could get me some rainbow fish!" Happy chimes in from beside Natsu.

"Seriously, Lucy, this is fine."

"How about I—?"

"You don't need to do anything," Natsu interrupts befuddled.

Lucy was strange to begin with, but lately she's been too … nice. Many would think that'd be something to celebrate about but given the situation she's in, as it was natural in the beginning for her to be upset. That's why Lucy being so chipper disturbs him. What happened to the sultry girl that was too stubborn to admit defeat a few days ago? Not that he wants to see her like that; it's just too strange of a shift

Lucy acts as if nothing is wrong. She gives cheerful smiles, talks in a pleasant voice and sleeps next to him and Happy as if they'd known each other all their lives. Her new behavior has alarm bells go off in Natsu's head. He expected her to accept her new lifestyle at some point but this drastic transition is too good to be true.

Natsu's sixth sense has never led him astray before, learning to trust it due to Igneel's teachings. It's telling him that Lucy's playing at a different sort of game, one he's going to have to be wary about.

* * *

**Authors Notes:**

**I honestly wanted to get this chapter up much sooner, but then this 'enemies to friends' arc got out of control. I'm writing more for it then I imagined.**

**Leave a review and tell me what you think of this chapter insert! Any interaction is very much appreciated. I will update again when I can.**


	3. Playing the Fool

**Playing the Fool**

* * *

The mountains seem so small when you're on top of them, Lucy thinks.

Far down the rocky hillside that she stands atop of is a strange creature. Having scales that shine in the Big Igny, the animal teeters in its walk due to its massive size and its snout comes to a narrowed point. The creatures in this place are ten times bigger than what she's used to. In the mountains, the animals have toughened up to deal with the terrain they're born into, most of them carnivores and always on the hunt for human skin.

Used to seeing these roaring hills from far away, Lucy almost feels unbalanced finding shelter among them. The air is thinner, or perhaps it's because each breath isn't as dense in the throat compared to where the Female Tribe is home to. In a place far away from any hot springs that pool at the base of the mountains, this tough environment has been harsh on her body. While she isn't one to whine and complain about the harsher elements that come with living, it's taken her some time to get used to this place.

That's why she's decided to play nice with Natsu. While she pretends to be docile, she bids her time to find the right moment to escape. It'll be easier to escape without questioning eyes on her back.

To her right, there are smooth rocks coated with moss, slowly descending towards the valley at the base of the mountains. To her left, the trees are dense with oak and pins, acorns littering the ground. Most have been crushed by forest animals trying to get to the nuts inside. Acorns are much too loud when stepped on, especially when rock is underneath them and not soft grass cushioning the blow. Plus, it would hurt Lucy's bare feet to trample over acorns, having no woven sandals, unlike Natsu. She's sure if she asked, he'd borrow a pair. Although they would be much too big for her, judging from the size of his feet.

"You okay down there?" Natsu calls out.

He's far enough away that it takes Lucy a moment to figure out where he is, blending in with the forest if it wasn't for his strange, bright pink hair. He's up the hill a little, standing at the edge of a rock that juts out to create a small cliff side.

"I'm fine!" she calls back.

"Stay there, I caught somethin' good!" he smiles, holding up a dead, white rabbit.

She's lived with this male creature for some time now and she's come to learn that life for males isn't that much different compared to females. Natsu maintains his home when he can, or rather wants to. He does what's necessarily to take care of the body and craves interaction, sharing tales and making things. It's his behavior itself that makes Lucy wonder if all males are as messy as this boy is. He doesn't clean up after himself too much and he's got some weird habits when it comes to placing certain things in his house.

Going out on the hunt with Natsu has become routine. Technically she doesn't hunt with him, instead taking to memorizing the terrain and slowly getting used to this environment. She's leaning how to run through this rocky landscape, jumping from concerning heights and memorizing how to place her feet without twisting an ankle. In a way, it's almost good that Natsu's strange attachment towards her makes it so that she's never out of his sight for long, otherwise he wouldn't have insisted that she'd go out on the hunt with him as often as they do.

Of course, if his eyes hadn't been lingering on her from the start, she would have made some foolish escape attempts by now. Happy most likely would have tried to stop her, but a small animal like him wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight. Not that she would want to fight the cute creature, but still.

Natsu comes skidding down the side of a bolder, sending pebbles to settle at his feet. "It's a jackrabbit. I got some luck, huh?" he smirks.

Lucy tries to ignore the way his smile does funny things to her heart. Here and there in the days that have passed together, the flutter would come back, sometimes no more then a skip in beat, sometimes so powerful it's hard to breath. She continues to ignore what they could mean. If she did try to figure them out, she knows for sure it would only make things more complicated. A short observation of the male species and quickly escaping is what she should be focusing on.

Her eyes widen upon seeing the rabbit Natsu caught, something she's never come across before. The rabbit is held by its deer like horns and bleeds out of its nostrils. Its head is turned almost the entire way 'round from Natsu snapping its neck by hand.

Lucy blinks surprised. "I've never seen these things before. Jackrabbits?"

"Yeah, they live in the rocky areas in small groups, digging up the soft dirt under the rocks. Next time, you should come with me. I'll show you where to hunt them."

"I'm good, thanks."

They walk back towards Natsu's home now that a hefty rabbit has been caught for lunch. Along the way, Lucy divides her attention between their conversation and the way the landscape pans out.

"Come on, I'm sure you're a fine hunter," he says.

"That's not it. I would rather not ... kill with my bare hands, is all," she says uncomfortable.

"I find it's easier that way. Spears can get in the way when you're hunting smaller prey."

"I normally use a bow and arrow to hunt. I'd hide in the trees and wait for something to come along."

"Oh, really? That's cool. I don't know many guys that can use those things. Most prefer to be on the move instead of hunting in silence."

"I had someone teach me from a young age, so that helped me a lot," she says, thinking of Sagittarius, one of her horoscopes.

It's when things go silent that Lucy realizes her mistake. She shouldn't be talking personally with Natsu like this! Why is it so simple to talk with him? Maybe he can do more than control Igny with his magic.

She walks onward without giving thought to what's around her, the land smoothing out and making it easier to tread through without worry. She looks to her right and observes the way a buck is having trouble climbing a smooth hillside, years of leaves pilling up on the hill making the deer's hooves slip out from under him constantly.

Natsu suddenly grabs her upper arm and suggests for her to walk a little more towards the right in a half-circle formation. His touch almost makes Lucy jump, both from not anticipating it and from the warmth of his hand on her. His body heat runs so high! They avoid an area where the ground is broken up into a thousand rivets, dried with caked mud chipping away and curling towards the sky. It's a peculiar area that would stand out from the rest of the land if not for the thin layer of moss the mostly hides the odd dirt.

"W-what are you doing?" she asks shy.

"You were about to fall into that hole," he says, letting her go. His left-over touch burns on her upper arm.

"What hole?" Looking back at the dried out land, she can't understand what he's warning about. Nothing seems wrong with it.

"Watch," he simply says.

Jogging to a nearby tree, he tears up from its base a boulder the size of his head. With his strength, he's easily able to palm the heavy thing and bring it back over to where Lucy stands confused. He hauls his arm back and chucks the boulder as hard as he can at the ground a couple feet before them. The sound of rocks clashing together sends vibrations throughout her ears that make her cringe.

The ground falls away. The rivets in the stone floor crumble to reveal a sinkhole below, pitch as night with moss and rock falling to their depths below.

"... What happened?" Lucy asks disturbed. Gods, she was seconds from falling into that if it wasn't for Natsu.

"There are places like that around here you need to watch out for," he says, edging closer to the hole.

She reaches a hand out to him. "Don't get too close."

"It's fine. We're at the edge where the hole stops, so it shouldn't fall apart any further than this. These sink holes show up from time to time from the colossus moles."

"Excuse me, from the_ what_?"

"Colossus moles. They're giant-ass moles that dig through the rock underground and make tunnels. When they dig too close to the surface, they can leave the ground up above looking fine, but the second something—people, for instance—step on it, you'll fall into a mole tunnel. You can tell when a mole digs too close to the surface by those cracks you saw. Course, that's not every time, but better safe than sorry," he shrugs.

Lucy pauses for a second, not able to process what she's hearing. "This place has such strange animals!" she says surprised. "From a jackrabbit to a ... big mole. I hope I don't ever see one of those things."

"You won't. They're blind and they hate daylight. They don't come above ground unless it's death down below."

Great, that's more things to worry about when it comes to this place, she thinks.

Natsu smiles. "I don't see any more of these holes up ahead. We should be fine."

"That's good …"

* * *

**XxXxXxX**

* * *

It's kind of dumb that he has to leave for the Male Tribe in the middle of the night, but it's the only time Natsu feels safe in doing so. Lucy is a light sleeper when she first goes to bed, shifting from side to side and giving little sighs that are honestly cute. When she does fall asleep, she doesn't wake up for anything. He found that out when he went out for a late-night piss and stubbed his toe against a clay pot. He pushed the thing a few feet across the room and created a racket in doing so. Natsu cursed under his breath, lifting his hurt foot and placed a hand against the wall to balance himself as he rode through the pain. Through all of that, Happy woke up for a split-second, lifting his head and looking around with half-lid eyes filled with sleep. He immediately went back to bed though, as if he was awoken by a dream instead of reality. Lucy didn't make a sound.

Her sleeping has been the only time Natsu can find peace long enough to leave her side. She hasn't tried to escape in the days she's been here but he can't scratch at this itch in the back of his mind, a demand to constantly watch over her to make sure she's not up to something devious. Her chipper mood didn't persist for long, not after he called her out on it. Now she's ... normal, he supposed. She doesn't seem to hate him but she also doesn't want to involve herself any further with him. Having her guard up makes Natsu keep his guard up. It's not something he wants to do, feeling rather unfair towards her. She's part of his family now, after all. He should trust her. That's why he's decided that today would be his last day sneaking in to the Male Tribe at night while she sleeps. Next time, he'll see if Lucy wants to come with him to meet the tribe.

Heading out while the Big Igny whispers at the edge of the horizon, giving a glow faint enough that it allows for objects to be outlined but not enough to call it morning, Natsu goes to the village to gather much needed supplies.

Most of the guys aren't up yet, preferring to sleep in as much as they can and recuperate from the daily chores that are required to maintain the village. Thus, it's quiet but for the sound of deep-toned snores that drift into the nights sky. Strangely, Natsu finds their snores are louder than usual, but he doesn't think much of it for long. Torches line the dirt pathways that weave through the village, hung on buildings wherever they can be. Many of the homes and buildings are made with wood and stone, roofs covered in straw while animal skins are either used as decoration or to cover open doorways and windows.

Out of everyone, Natsu's surprised to see Reedus up. He's painting a large chunk of stone, it's flat surface a perfect 'canvas', as Reedus calls it, whatever that means. Before the skinny man is a bush bursting with light red roses, lit by a torch attached high to a trading hub's outer wall.

Natsu takes down a torch from a house wall and eats its flames.

"Don't do that, you dolt," Gray scolds from the darkness.

Having smelled the boy long before seeing him—the sting of cold ice in Gray's scent making the bridge of Natsu's nose almost scrunch up—Gray's voice suddenly appearing around the corner of a building doesn't startle him.

"You always leave the torches in a weird place when you're done with them. Do you know how much of a pain-in-the-ass it is to make a new torch only to suddenly come upon the one we thought got lost?" Gray asks, putting a hand against a scarred hip. The sharp light of the Igny makes Gray's complexion seem paler than usual, not sickly but like snow.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll make sure not to do that this time," Natsu says around a mouthful of Igny.

"You do know how sad it is to meet you out here so early, right?" Gray sighs, bearing a shit-eating grin. "Still can't leave that female thing alone during the day, can ya? But it's a good—"

"Just keep ya mouth shut, Ice Dick," he snorts. "Lucy's fine where she is. I just came for that meat and pelt you told me about."

"Geez, and here I'd thought you'd given up on them."

"What—you didn't sell them, did you?"

"No, I still got them. I just thought that with that girly thing occupying your mind, you'd gone brain dead. More so than you already are."

Gray's lucky that he's the one male in the village Natsu is closest to, allowing this type of banter between them to be common place; otherwise, he would have shoved his foot up Gray's ass long ago. Most of the time, they get along well. They've formed a friendship through their tussles, competitions and heavy drinking nights, but it's also within their friendship that a rivalry was born. They always have to find ways to out-do one another, to see who is stronger. Most of their fights start not only because Gray has a very punchable face, but because Gray has a personality default that can annoy the shit out of Natsu easily. Besides the obvious uncontrollable way Gray strips his pelts at any chance he gets—thank the Gods he's wearing something right now—Gray's a thinker and that makes him slow, pushing Natsu's patience to the limits a lot of the time. Those differences between them aren't enough to break a bond like they have, as Natsu has trusted his life with Gray on more than one occasion, but it's hard not to hold back from getting into a fist-fight.

Natsu slams the burnt-out torch back into its original spot against the wall beside him, having eaten all of its flames and filling his belly with magical energy. "If you're looking to get your ass kicked, then your one step in already," he says.

He brings his hands up in front of his chest, palms out in a sign of surrender. "I don't mind goin' for a brawl any day against you, but … right now is not a good time. Don't get worked up. I was only makin' fun of ya."

"You and everyone else. I'm gettin' sick of it! Every time I come here, you guys rag on me. Why the fuck would I want to come back during the day when all I hear is everyone runnin' their mouths?"

Suddenly, Elfman's scent covered in the stench of sweat comes up behind Natsu. Of course, even if the boy hadn't caught his scent, the muscular weight Elfman carries amplifies every step he takes. "Calm down, Natsu. You're going to wake up the village," Elfman says, putting a large hand on the boy's shoulder.

For a guy who always shouts the word "man!" like some kind of declaration of war, the hulking boy's softer tone makes Natsu huff away his annoyance. "Yeah …Whatever, just go get that stuff for me, would you, Gray?"

"I think you're going to want me to do that later," he grins. "There's something else you should see first."

"It better be important. I want to get back home as soon as I can—and don't you fucking comment on that. Anyway, what are you doin' up, Elfman? Gray I expected, since I asked him to meet me here a few days ago, but you?"

"He's right. We were wondering where you were," Gray comments.

"Geez, who else is up?" Natsu asks, raising an eyebrow.

Elfman flexes his biceps, arms bunching with every pose he makes. "I was becoming a man! An early morning workout is the best way to start your day."

Natsu frowns slightly. "I'd rather sleep."

In the distance, the sleeping village men stir up a racket with their snoring, getting louder and buzzing with enough activity that it jumbles together to sound like a rushing waterfall. It's an odd tone that captures Natsu's attention. Deep sleep is normally loud but not angry sounding.

"What's going on?" he asks Gray.

"That's what I wanted to show you. You better come along. You, too, Elfman."

Natsu and Elfman share a confused look.

Following after Gray in a steady running pace, he leads them to the main center of the village.

* * *

**XxXxXxX**

* * *

Another day and another split-second decision.

Lucy gently pats Happy on the head, making sure her touch is light enough that she doesn't disturb his slumber. His fur is so soft and the way he lightly coos makes her heart clench. While she's never meant to show any hostility towards this tiny creature, she's almost ashamed having turned her back on him, as well, from time to time. When something is as cute as Happy is, it's hard to stay mad at anything.

She says goodbye to this mischievous cat with these gentle pats.

To combat the nights cold, she quietly puts on one of the thicker pelts Natsu has lying around, tying a rope around her waist to make sure the clothing doesn't slip off her narrow frame. She puts on the fur leggings that she originally wore when first brought here and also steals a pair of Natsu's woven sandals.

Lucy gently lifts aside the buffalo hide in the doorway, looking out to the slumbering forest and listening for anything out of the ordinary. No oncoming footsteps, nothing crackles or snaps. Natsu isn't here. The sound of raccoons squeaking and the other natural night-time noises tell that the local animals do not sense any danger nearby.

She steps outside and slowly lowers the hide back in place against the doorway, all done with a dashing heart. She walks across the grounds with even footsteps until she reaches the edge of the forest line.

Lucy looks back towards Natsu's home, compelled to give a silent thank you as a way of saying goodbye to the absent boy. Thank you for never harming her, despite everything. Although she refused to admit while she was here, now that she's about to leave, she can finally think that Natsu is admirable in his promises. He kept his word to the fullest and put her firstly this entire time, ensuring that she was never in harms way. He treated her ... not like a mysterious female but just like anyone else—with respect as a human being. He showed her kindness and a willingness to befriend her, no matter the attitude she put up. Lucy knows he's going to be heartbroken when he finds her gone. Ah, it's troublesome for her but it almost feels like there's an ache in her chest thinking about Natsu's loneliness. It's that strange fluttering of the heart again, only this time, because Natsu is drifting farther away from her, it begins to plead to return to what they had.

Don't question it. Don't question anything, she thinks harsh.

From there, Lucy takes off.

A few days ago, she'd caught onto what Natsu was doing. Her first clue that he was sneaking off to the Male Tribe at night was when a bag of spices mystically appeared out of nowhere. Their color caught her attention, and upon seeing them it made her realize that it wasn't the first time an object in the house had materialized. She asked him where the spices had come from, as his house is too open to hide much of anything, and he brushed her question off with a grin.

After that, it became more obvious when random objects would make their way into the house. Sometimes it was rope, other times it was spear heads and sharpened tools, even a basket of early seasoned corn popped into being. Once Lucy honed in on these random things, it became obvious there was a pattern to it. Every three days, these objects would appear in the early morning.

One late evening, Lucy put her theory to the test. Natsu had to be sneaking off to the Male Tribe at night, as that was the only explanation she could think of on where these things were coming from. She tortured herself by staying awake all night, pretending to sleep and not alert Natsu as to what she was waiting for. It was made that much more difficult to not actually fall asleep in the warmth of the nest, and she did doze off for a moment or two, but when Natsu got up, she was wide awake.

He left that night with a woven basket strapped to his back, filled with rocks that were used to make weapons. In the early dawn, before the darkness could fully be thwarted, Natsu came back with a new pelt for the nest stuffed inside the basket. When Lucy asked where it had come from, he once again dismissed her question and said it had always been there, despite knowing for certain that he was lying now.

It wasn't until half way through the day that she realized her mistake. Curiosity got the better of what should have been an obvious factor. She could have escaped that night while he was gone! But at least she knew better from then on.

Lucy cautiously jumps from rock to rock, finding in the darkness where to place her feet without over thinking it. She looks for the flatter rocks that can balance her weight. She's gotten used to this terrain, not enough to travel precariously through it like Natsu does but enough that it doesn't bother her to see those large gaps between the rocks anymore, leaping over them effortlessly. In the night, they're a lot scarier to peer down into, pitch black like dark blood. This area she escapes through is where Natsu and her come to hunt often, as hidden between the rocks are small animals, rodents and pheasants that can be chased out through the skillful mindset of a hunter. Natsu would direct these animals to unknowing leave the safety of the rocks and chase them out into the more open areas of the forest.

Lucy stops and listens for a moment to make sure that she isn't being chased. With how far away the Male Tribe is supposed to be, it should give her an ample amount of time to put some distance between her and Natsu. She's lucky she's made it this far in the dark, the night making it that much harder to navigate with the cover of the trees blocking out any sort of light from the moon or stars.

_I think you'll want to head a little to the left_, Loki says.

Her celestial friends can't get a good view of the forest floor beyond the canopy of trees, but thankfully that won't stop them from trying to help her. Loki's animal like senses has never let Lucy down yet.

**Hey, Loki, quick question. Are you female?**

_Nope. That's why I always considered myself a catch for you,_ he says. She can hear the way his lips curl into a smug smirk.

**You're a guy?! Why didn't you tell me?! Wait, if you're a male, what about everyone else?!**

_**I am female, princess. Is a punishment in order for not telling you sooner?**_

_That's debatable with how you act, Virgo. Though you got the boobs for it._

**Loki!**

_Alright, sorry about that, Lucy. I never thought it was important enough to distinguish such a thing. We are stars, after all. Who cares if we're male or female? I'd get with you no matter what I was._

**I care now that I know such a thing exists. I always assumed you were all female.**

_Everyone shut it!_ Aquarius demands.

* * *

**Authors Notes:**

**I wanted to get this chapter out back in March but then the corona virus hit. I'm currently unemployed, but thankfully I'm guaranteed to return to my job once this is over with. I've had to file for unemployment to make up for lost wages and I can only hope that I qualify. Luckily, I'm being kept occupied with gardening and other house-hold things. I hope everyone out there isn't having too tough of a time!**

**I really hope that I can get another chapter out before April is over with. Leave a review and tell me how you guys think this arc is going! Thank you so much, everyone!**


	4. Meeting in the Bone Cage

**Meeting in the Bone Cage**

* * *

"What the hell is this?" Natsu asks astonished.

Most of the Male Tribe has gathered in the main hut of the village, structured with an assortment of monster bones tied together with rope and a thousand different furs stitched together to form the soft, fabric walls. Torches are lifted high up on staffs, lighting the room all along the walls and burning the smell of a gathered group of men into something not very pleasant. Obviously not everyone is here, because if that was the case the hut wouldn't be big enough to accommodate everyone. The tribe has grown over the years and the size of the gathering hutch has become too small. If you come late to a village meeting, you're forced to stand outside the large entrance way and listen in. Currently, Mas Ter, Jet and Droy, Fred and Laxus, Macao and his boy, Romeo, along with many others huddle towards the back end of the room, crowding around something that Natsu can't see beyond their backsides. Not everyone is here; Bixlow and Nab are missing, as Natsu can only suspect that this excitement wasn't enough to wake them.

"We caught a female," Gray informs.

"Really?!" Elfman cries.

Natsu snaps his head towards the ice boy, his gut sinking. If a female was around here, it means she came for Lucy. "What happened?" he demands.

"She was caught near the cornfields. We'd seen that some food had gone missing from the storage huts and we thought that a rat was eating it, so we put Romeo in charge of watching the fields. What we weren't expecting was this girl to be the culprit."

"Romeo was able to capture her?" Elfman asks surprised.

"Nope. The female foolishly ran towards Mas Ter's home and he was the one that caught her. Gajeel heard the racket it caused, came out and, well, opened his big mouth. His excitement about another female making its way into the tribe woke everyone up."

"Natsu, come over here!" Mas Ter's voice shouts above the crowd.

As soon as the tribe leader calls his name, everyone quiets down. The room's tension is suddenly placed onto Natsu's shoulders, the villager's undivided attentions bearing down on him as if to say that he's supposed to set an example. He's the one with his own female, he should know what to do, their faces say. It's a dumb notion that makes Natsu grit his teeth and snort.

He makes his way towards the front of the crowd without a fuss, the men quickly parting to let him through. Their facial expressions speak louder than their quiet whispers do. Some give him wary stares, perhaps wondering if he could make peace with the new female. Others give smug smirks, a sharp tease glinting in their eyes that Natsu tries to ignore to the best of his restraint. He can hear some of the guys murmur about their uncertainties concerning the female, thinking that she's a threat they need to get rid of as quickly as possible, 'less more females come for battle'. Someone talks about how the blame for this lies with Lucy, that Mas Ter should never have let Natsu keep her in the first place, rousing for more females to come and invade their land. Natsu stomps his foot down on the boy who dares to blame his Lucy for this, making sure to twist his heel against the boy's pinky toe and causing the weak male to howl in pain.

At the front of the crowd, Gajeel turns towards him with a grin. "Good luck with this one. Feisty little thing."

Natsu is distracted, at first, by how weird some of guys are acting. Mest looks like he's trying to contain himself from physically exploding, kneeling down with his hands shoved between his crotch. Max and Nab also have the same reactions, although Nab is chewing on the end of a cloth ... Apparently, they've given into the rage of their Sacred Rods.

"You guys need more training ..." Natsu says dull.

"It's not like we can help it!" Max scowls.

Finally seeing the captured female, Natsu doesn't understand what exactly it is about this girl that could make some of the guys turn so weak. She pushes back against a rib bone as thick as his torso, stabbed into the ground to support the huts structure. He expected this female to look nothing like Lucy—since no man looks alike—but he's still startled. She has light blue, wavy hair, something that quickly stands out against her pale face. What's most surprising about her is how _small _she is, about the same size as Romeo despite obviously being fully grown from her facial structure and sturdy body. Her slim wrists and ankles are tied with rope, the rest of her coated in a light layer of dirt from her days out in the fields spying on the men. Her spotted pelt covers her entire torso down to the middle of her thighs and while her face is nice to look at, Natsu doesn't see the appeal behind her body that would make a Sacred Rod so pissed off.

"This female came to the village presumably after Lucy," Mas Ter says. His short and feeble body among this crowd of younger men should diminish his authority, making it that much harder to acknowledge him, yet it's the way Mas Ter holds himself, keeping a steady eye on the female, and how the other males give him space that tells of his status.

"I figured that," Natsu sighs in disdain.

"If you have Lucy, you better let her go!" the female orders.

This girl's way of thinking—that Lucy automatically should go back to her old village as if he has no claim over her—makes Natsu bare his fangs. "She's mine. I'm not giving her up."

"Lucy belongs with us!"

"I found her, so I get to keep her!"

"She's no pet!"

"That's not what I mean! She belongs with me!"

Gajeel laughs from deep within his gut. "For a mouse of a thing, she's got a mouth."

Gray makes his way through the crowd to stand with the boys, and judging from his reaction—he goes still and faded blue eyes widen, as if seeing something he's not sure how to react towards—Natsu figures that Gray must be fully seeing the female for the first time. There's a slight tilt to Gray's head once he gets used to the sight, this female so like them but so unlike them. At least his Sacred Rod stays in place, Natsu taking some pride in his friend's toughness.

"What do you make of her?" Gray asks quietly.

"How should I know?" he says. "Just because I got Lucy doesn't mean I know all about females suddenly."

"Come on, do somethin'. You're the best we got. You've been around that Lucy female constantly for days now. You should know what to do with this thing."

"Where'd you get that stupid idea?"

The female interrupts in a hard tone. "I will not leave without my friend. She better be safe."

"Of course she is. I haven't harmed her. Who do you take me for?" Natsu asks incredulous.

"Then where is she? I've watched the tribe for days now and I haven't seen her once."

His right hand fists at his side, knuckles going white. The girl sees his reaction and lightly backs down, closing her mouth but keeping a narrowed glare on him.

Someone has been sneaking around hunting for Lucy all this time and he becomes the last to know? Natsu almost feels like a failure protecting her, thinking how this small girl has been lingering in the farm lands of the tribe all this time, waiting for a chance to steal Lucy back. Thankfully, the Female Tribe only knows of the Male Tribe's location—as bad as that might sound. They know nothing about Natsu's home on the outskirts of the tribe's lands where Lucy is safely tucked away.

"Like I'd tell you," Natsu grimaces.

"Give it up, girly. Once this guy sets his mind of somethin', having him give it up is like pullin' teeth," Gajeel advises, kneeling down to her level.

He reaches out a large, calloused hand towards her without thought. The female gives a tight-lipped cry and scrambles back into the animal fur wall, pushing against its skin to get further away from Gajeel's touch. He realizes too late that her bravado is a well-hidden farce and that reaching out to the poor, frightened thing with such familiarity is a mistake.

Gajeel loses his smile and lowers his hand, but doesn't back away from her. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare ya."

The female holds her place for some time, looking around anxiously to the room of men and waiting for someone else to make a sudden move towards her. When everyone continues to either talk among themselves or pause in wait to see what _she _will do in return, the female comes away from the wall. She mostly keeps her place near the hide, the rope around her joints giving her no other option. She tries to conceal her skittishness behind a mask of bravery once again, that glare to her eyes and the way her mouth clamps firmly shut into a tight line almost comical to Natsu. Almost, because the girl's scent is coated in a light sheen of sweat and anxiety, making the moment less funny to him. Having also been raised by a dragon, Gajeel can probably smell these things without trouble, although Natsu doesn't think Gajeel's nose is as good as his. Unlike Natsu, though, who sees her act of bravery as something admirable to do in the face of the unknown but also sad to see at how frightened she is of his kind, Gajeel, for some reason, gets kick out of it.

He slaps one of his knees and sets his back straight. "I know where I've seen you before. You're the chick that came after Bunny Girl the first time 'round. You're the one that fought me."

Natsu smirks amused. "This little thing is what took your sorry ass down?"

"Shut it, Dragon Breath. She might be small but she's got some spunk." He pauses staring at the girl with a slight purse to his mouth and something glinting in his dark eyes. Natsu can smell a ting of excitement shifting in Gajeel's scent.

"You're the boy with the Metalicana …" the female mutters in realization.

"Ah, so you do remember me. Good." He smirks. "Alright, I've decided. Since Natsu here's got a girl of his own, why not give her to me, Mas Ter?"

"Don't you dare," she hisses quietly.

"She's a living creature, not some pet," Mas Ter reprimands. "I don't plan on mistreating her like we did with Lucy when she first came here. Back away, Gajeel, you're frightening the poor thing."

"I'm not afraid!" she insists.

"She'll get used to me," Gajeel grins.

The girl quiets down and turns a light shade of pink with her blush. Natsu eyes both of them, feeling something in the air between the two that he's unsure of.

Gray says. "Gajeel can have her, since he's so interest. As long he doesn't mistreat the thing. Besides, no harm having one more girl around."

Gajeel stands up. "I just thought fair was fair. Besides, I like this one. She's got guts despite being such a chicken at heart."

The girl is able to breathe better now that she's not on face level with Gajeel, which is understandable to Natsu. Gajeel has a tendency to scare the shit out of people, even those he's known for a long time.

"Who says you get to have her?" Jet speaks up, standing with Droy off to the side. Both of their faces are flaming with a blush but they haven't fallen to the ground in defeat. The other boys who've admitted to defeat have fallen back to the other side of the crowd. "I think she'd make a great addition to team Shadow Gear," Jet says.

"Yeah!" Droy agrees, his double chin of fat muffling his voice slightly. "She's small and looks nimble, the kind of cute that could really set our team apart."

"Don't go on your damn tangents again," Gajeel spits. "That stuff you guys are always spouting about gets on my nerves."

Jet snaps his mouth shut. It's never been easy for anyone to stand up against Gajeel, but Jet must have taken a liking to the girl, because he finds his voice faster than usual. He turns away from Gajeel to address the female, putting on a kind smile. He confidently thrusts his thumb against his chest. "What do you say, little lady?" he asks. "Me and Droy are a great team. You could be a part of it."

"I don't think I want to do that …" she says sullen.

"You hear that? She doesn't give a rat's ass about you guys," Gajeel smirks harsh.

"I'm not saying I want misfortune to come to them. All I want is to take Lucy and go home."

Natsu sighs harsh and rolls his eyes. "You need to get that idea out of your head. She doesn't have to stay in your tribe just because she was born into it."

"She came to us after being abandoned. We're the only family she's got. Don't take that away from her."

"Abandoned …?"

"Yes, we found her at a young age alone and afraid. She says that she doesn't know much about her past before coming to the Female Tribe but we've made a home for her." The girl gives a smug grin. "What? I thought you said you claimed her? You didn't know that much about her?"

Mas Ter steps forward with a hard edge to his frown. "It would be up to Lucy if she wished to tell Natsu about her past or not. You don't have much of a right to tell anyone here something as personal as that. I understand that you don't like the situation you've been put into, but what if I went and blabbed my mouth anyway about personal things concerning you?"

Her eyes widen and a blush creeps quickly across her cheeks, harsher than before due to the tint of shame Natsu can smell coming from her at Mas Ter's sharp words. Serves her right. Lucy doesn't have to tell him nothin' if she doesn't want to. What matters is that she's well taken care of in the present.

"I'm giving Lucy a new life, that's all that's happening," Natsu says. "Look, you wouldn't understand. I _know_ that Lucy belongs here with me and I'm not questioning it."

Mas Ter gives a loud cough, his usual way of changing topic when he's irritated with the boys. "Leave that alone, Natsu. You're only beating a dead animal. For now, I say someone needs to take the girl in. I'm sorry to say, dear, but I don't think we can let you go yet."

"I'll take her in," Gajeel quickly says.

"Hey, no, wait—!" Jet's voice squeaks to a stop when Gajeel turns a deadly glare on the skinny man, hearing a sharp-toned growl through his grit teeth. Jet jumps back into Droy, who grabs him by the shoulders with his own sense of fright.

"Good, it's settled then," Gajeel says triumphantly.

"What's with you? I don't see what the appeal is with this girl thing," Gray comments.

"I think she's interesting."

"Don't lie to yourself, Gajeel," Macao mutters disappointed.

The female's eyes widen and her back straightens, at a loss for words from the way the boys talk about her. Lucy reacted the same way, hearing how Natsu wanted to keep her as a family member, confused and unable to believe that he would want to keep her around after only knowing her for less than one moon rise. Gajeel is a horrible liar, being much too harsh around the edges to carry out such a delicate thing as a lie and that makes it easier for Natsu to finally tell what's gotten into him. He's found some kind of unexplained attraction towards this blue-haired girl, just the same as Natsu found with his Lucy. Why he'd chose this small girl of all things, who knows. She doesn't look like she could hold up much in a fight. Plus, she's got no boobs, unlike Lucy.

The power females hold over males is a scary thing, taking down even hard-steal Gajeel. Then again, maybe if more females do come around it'll get the other guys to shut up with their damn talk about him and Lucy.

Mas Ter explains. "I don't mean you any harm, my girl, but there are some things I'd like to ask of you. I will let you go once I am sure you and your people are of no harm to us."

"I don't know what you could want from me," she says quietly.

"For starters, how about a name?" he smiles.

"Oh …! It's Levy."

"Another 'L' name. Is that a thing for females?" Natsu asks.

She furrows her eyebrows low. "No, it's just a coincidence."

"Have you all gone mad!?"

Laxus's voice bellows through the bone and fur hut and claws at everyone's ears, making the entire crowd's interest, excitement and slight sense of caution at the newcomer stop all at once.

* * *

**XxXxXxX**

* * *

Lucy figures she must be out of Natsu's range of smell by now. She's not sure how exactly but his sense of hearing and smell are beyond anything human. Mutters carried under breath are heard by Natsu as if talking normally. When prey is thought to have escaped from his grasp, Natsu is able to hunt it back down with his nose in the air. Maybe he's more dragon like then she thought.

Having steadily climbed down this mountainous area, Lucy's proud of the progress she's made. While she has tripped a few times, scrapped her left knee and elbow, almost ate a mouth full of dirt and about became a late-night snack for a roaming predator, she's managed to get past the normal terrain she's used to seeing on her daily hunts with Natsu. The trees have become denser, rocks receding back in place of hilly ground and foliage that thrives in the rich soil. The fern around her feet make it harder to see what she's stepping down on, in comparison to the flat openness of rock. Everything that crunches under her weight makes the hairs at the back of her neck stand on end. If it's not Natsu that catches her, it's going to be another animal with sharp teeth.

_No, you stupid woman! Go left! Go left! Head towards the river_, Aquarius chimes in loudly.

**Right, sorry**, Lucy's soul thinks to her spirit friend.

_No, left!_

**That's what I mean!**

When she left the Female Tribe, she didn't want to blindly make her way into the mountains without some way to get back. She might have been in a foul mood thanks to Erza but she wasn't about to make her decisions rashly. She followed the river uphill, knowing that its stream would guide her all the way to the three-pronged tip of the mountain tops. All she wanted was some alone time away from the walls that cage the Female Tribe and make it impossible for the girls to leave one another alone. That's why when Natsu came across her, she was bathing in a small pool the river made along its flow. If she had known that other human-like creatures roamed these lands besides Females, she never would have left.

_You're doing well, princess._

**Thanks, Virgo. I feel like I've made some real progress.**

_Yeah, sure_, Aquarius scoffs sarcastic. _I had to tell you more than once you were going off track._

**I'm glad you did though**_, _Lucy thinks reluctant but true. She jumps down from the ledge of a small cliff to land on the dry, cracked earth below, the thousands of rivets in its surface almost reminiscent of something she can't quite name. **I can hear the river now. It's not too far away—**

The ground opens up below Lucy without warning and she's swallowed by a hallow darkness.

* * *

**XxXxXxX**

* * *

"What's the meaning of this, Laxus?" Mas Ter asks sternly.

The former Brave of the tribe matches forward with quick, purposeful strides through the crowd, the men frantically backing away from him out of intimidation.

Natsu hears Levy hiccup with building fear behind him. He gives her a quick glance over his shoulder, as he's turned most of his attention on Laxus. She's terrified, a look of horror reflecting in her wide eyes and the absolute dread that suddenly consumers her drains the pink undertone in her skin.

Who can blame her? If she was trying to put on a brave face for Gajeel and moderately succeeding, it wouldn't be possible to do such a thing against someone like Laxus. Not only is he bigger then Gajeel—his muscles almost on rival with Elfman's, only more menacing due to the many battle scars he bears—he's taller than Gajeel, too. Combine both physical qualities along with his crazy, blond hair and the lightening shaped scar that runs over his left eye, it's hard even for the men of the tribe to approach Laxus.

"Why is everyone talking to this female?" Laxus asks in disbelief. Coming up behind him are Bixlow and Freed, the only two males that are allowed to tail after Laxus. They've taken to worshiping him due to his strength, but Natsu thinks that's embarrassing—it's like having a parade of fanboys.

"She has the intelligence to speak and therefore is granted some standards of humanity," Mas Ter says.

Laxus sighs and stares down at Levy. "I get that, old man, but that doesn't mean you gotta be stupid about this. What I want to know is why you're all standing around this girl as if that's something that needs to be done? Get rid of her already."

"Back off," Gajeel growls, advancing on Laxus. "I'm the one taking this girl and there's not a damn thing you can do about it."

"Taking her?" he scowls. "We already let one damn female enter the village and look at what happened. A swarm of them came! You want to put the village in danger again by taking another one of them in?"

"She won't harm anyone—"

"I don't mean _her_. Keep another female and the rest will come back again, this time more prepared than the last. Look at what happened just by keeping one girl alone." He waves his hand at Levy in example, the person who snuck into the village to steal back what belongs to Natsu.

Gajeel fists the tooth necklace around Laxus's thick neck but is unable to force the boy to move. "If that idiot can keep his girl, then I'm allowed to take one, too—!"

Natsu doesn't realize what happens at first.

There's a shift in wind that goes flying past him and the scents in the room spike into a panic foremost, but it takes a moment for reality to catch back up with him. He jerks around to find Gajeel lying on his side, curled into a heap against the ground near Levy. Laxus punch Gajeel in the face faster than any lightning strike and with enough force that the side of Gajeel's mouth runs with blood. Levy hovers her tied up hands above Gajeel, looking between the hurt boy and Natsu, unsure of what to do in her panic at the sudden threat before her.

Laxus straightens his posture and snarls. "That's a warning, Gajeel. I won't say this again. For the good of the tribe, get that girl out of here as quickly as you can before she brings down the other women."

"She has done no harm here!" Mas Ter hollers curt. "It's understandable that she came to find her friend and I will not fault her for that! I also understand your concern for the tribe's well-being, despite going about it in the worst way possible. Maybe if you tried seeing past your jealousy at losing the title of Brave—"

"That has nothing to do with this! What's done is done. Besides, I'll win the title of Brave back at the annual Brave Championships. Natsu can have that title for a little while." He chuckles in a condescending way. "Let him enjoy it for a short moment, while he can. That title will be mine again come next spring time."

"I could care less about a damn title. You can have the thing back, if you want," Natsu hisses.

"I'm not one to believe it works that way. I fell during battle and you beat the women … who came because you had to be stupid."

"I didn't tell Levy to come this way!"

"Levy. It has a name, huh?" Laxus comes forward to get into Natsu's personal space. Natsu refuses to back down, looking up to the intimidating boy with a disturbing stillness that indicates silent rage building. "Well, you might not have said it but you did invite this _Levy_ girl by keeping that first female around. I say we get rid of both girls at the same time, tell the Female Tribe that we of the Male Tribe are not to be taken lightly."

"Wise words," Freed agrees calmly.

"Get rid of them?" Natsu asks suspicious.

"Drag them out of here. Throw them over a fuckin' cliff, do whatever it takes to send a message to them that we are not to be trifled with," Laxus finishes without hesitation.

"You mean kill them?" Mas Ter gasps appalled.

Gajeel quickly sits upright and thrusts his arm out in a stance to try and protect Levy.

Among the men, Natsu can hear quiet sounds of agreement. Most keep to themselves, not wanting to look bad by outright agreeing to such a horrible act but feeling threatened enough by these females to not protest against Laxus's crazed idea. A few shout how such a thing is out of the question, Macao and Romeo telling the other men to shut their mouths, how no one deserves to be used as an example for bullying simply because they're different from them. To know there are men among his own tribe that agree with Laxus's brutal statement sends Natsu's bones to chill. But what he can't bear to hear is the threat to forever take away what belongs to him.

"Leave Lucy out of this!" Natsu snarls for all to hear. "We're not disbanding anyone from the tribe!"

"That female you keep has never been a part of this tribe. If you hadn't decided she was a pet, none of this would have started!" Laxus shouts. Able to control the booming flashes of light that come on rainy, dark days, Laxus's lightening intensifies with his emotional distraught. The electric charge in the air makes the hair on Natsu head stand on end and his nerves to snap into alert. "Mas Ter told you. Females bring down destruction and are not to be kept … yet the old man got soft on you," he says.

To that, Mas Ter says nothing but keeps a steady glare at the village heir.

"I didn't say anything about killing them. Lightly injuring them though? I'm not against that. You should have chased off that female that moment you found her, not befriend her. They're the enemy!"

Natsu could care less that Laxus is a head taller than him: he's always been willing to kick his ass anytime and he'll certainly strangle him this time around if he thinks he can go after Lucy. Whatever his true issue is against the females, Natsu knows from now on to never let his guard down around the lightening barer.

"Everyone needs to stop saying that shit!" Natsu yells. "Lucy hasn't done any harm and doesn't deserve to be hurt. She doesn't deserve to be driven away. Not from the village and certainly not by you!"

He makes the first move, hauling his arm back and swinging it at Laxus's exposed gut. Igny flares around Natsu's fist with the swing and for the first time, Laxus takes the full force of the intense element. He chokes on his own spit and from the smell of blood, he bit his tongue on impact. He doubles over from the punch and gets flown back, the Igny following after him in hot flashes as it burns the skin and leaves behind a chard smell where it burns his pelt that draped around his shoulders.

Since they were young, any fight between Natsu and Laxus has always ended the same way. Natsu losses and the older boy comes out on top, having enough magical power to take down any predator of his choosing without trouble. Natsu got his ass beaten many times by this lug throughout most of his young adulthood. Never being one to know when to quit though, that pain was never a good enough reason for him to give up.

What mainly made him lose, and consequently lose many other fights, was a mixture of arrogance and pride. To this day those feelings reside within Natsu, always giddy for a fight and blinded to the consequences once fists are thrown. He'll gladly rush into frenzy against anyone, his Igny flaring his confidence out of control. That's why fighting Laxus all those times before usually resulted in broken bones and a bruised ego on his end.

Fighting due to confidence in one's strength is a two-way street. The same magical power that runs through Natsu also flows through Laxus in the form of lightening and in return that same arrogance does, too. Natsu knows that's why he was able to deliver a full punch to Laxus's stomach for the first time ever. He's never lost a fight up 'till this point and because of that, the moment someone charged at him with blind determination for the sake of someone else, he crumbles like a leaf.

This time around, the thrill of a fight doesn't boil in the blood and arrogance is given no rein on Natsu's nerves. Rather, it's a fierce need to protect that allows him to stand tall after the punch is swung through, looking on with no doubt in his mind. Even if Laxus is a fellow male of the tribe, he'll take the bastard down before he can even think about breathing the same air as Lucy.

* * *

**Authors Notes:**

**I'm hoping to complete this arch with the few next chapters.**

**In any case, because I was unemployed for the month of April due to the virus, I was able to write this quicker then normal. I go back to work soon, so I'm going to get busy again. ****I hope everyone is staying healthy and safe during these weird times!**


	5. Flying & Falling

**Flying and Falling**

* * *

Everything hurts.

Lucy slowly regains consciousness but there isn't much for her to see. Dots wonder across her vision and the soft glow of light streaming down from the moon high above is too bright. She quickly shuts her eyes and groans loudly, but that noise bouncing through her skull makes things worse. Her head spins and it's difficult to remember where she is and what happened.

_Princess! Princess!_

**_Lucy, get up!_**

Their voices pound through her head. Despite not saying a word to her spirits, the massive amount of anguish running both mentally and physically through Lucy sends a silent message to them—that they need to_ shut the hell up_.

She can sense their distress, but they do as told. What she needs right now isn't people yelling at her but to gather her own wits. She'll feel guilty for shoving her spirits away later.

Staying down on the ground—cautious in case she broke a bone—there are dirt slabs scattered around her, some of which crumbled into fin dust as soon as they were tampered with. It coats her body in a gritty mess. She lies on her left side, having both of her arms reach out towards a black tunnel. It's absolutely massive, the darkness almost alive in its presence and tempting her to crawl into its cool depths to stop this burning pain that runs through her body. Continuing to look into that abyss has her heart rate sputter and her breathing begins to come in shallow gasps, whistling through teeth that clatter. No, going in there wouldn't bring relief but a death sentence.

With terrified eyes and a falling pit forming in her stomach, Lucy tries to turn her head up towards the sky to see how far she fell into this hidden, underground tunnel. Her muscles cry when she moves, the pain expected after falling from such a height. She's thankful nothing feels broken, as she can turn her head without her neck hurting, but there's a sharp stab of pain that forms on her left temple.

Lucy's shocked to find how far she actually fell. How did the fall not kill her? The large opening that was created under her weight stretches out insanely wide, especially for how high above it is. That hole is her only portal to the outside world, as the rest of the cave ceiling is pitch black, creating jagged edges to outline the hole, as if it has teeth that dare her to try and get out. What she thought was the moon's soft glow is instead the glow of mid-morning making its way closer to the horizon. The sky is lite with cascading purple and pink clouds, turning the trees into silhouettes high above.

How is she supposed to get out? What should she do? Wait for someone …?

Slowly moving, Lucy's arms shake to hold herself up, but she's unsure if that's from her nerves being fried or from how weak she's become, sleeping in this lonesome tunnel. She's able to sit upright with muscle pains coming in waves, mostly in the ribs and on her left side where she must have laid for some time. How long was she unconscious for? Obviously long enough that the Big Igny is close to rising. The goosebumps that wave across her upper back make her realize that her pelt wrapping is gone. Searching for it, she finds the pelt flew away from her during the fall and is out of reach.

Lucy looks down at her legs. They're mostly scrapped on the knees but her fur leg warmers must have protected her. The sandal strap on her right foot is broke, leaving it useless. Lifting her arms, she's able to move them with joints popping but no pain.

She halts when she looks at her stomach.

"Oh, no," she chokes tightly.

To the right of Lucy's waist, at the bottom of the rib cage, is a large patch of blood that has soaked into her animal hide. There's a gash in the hide, showing some of the skin below that has been cut. Her fingers shake as she reaches for the wound, pulling the fur back with jerky movements from the spasms she can't control. Seeing the wound, she automatically sits up straighter to keep pressure off of it. She must have gotten cut on one of the rocks that crumbled beneath her on the way down. The gash is crusted over with dried blood, running in a one inch horizontal line.

She … she doesn't feel any pain from it. How could she not have noticed such a wound? Her muscle pains are more prevalent then _this_? She's heard of a human emotion that can overcome pain when panicked enough but Lucy didn't think it was possible. How is she supposed to escape from this hell hole with her lower rib in this condition?

She gently prods around the wound, the touch instantly having her become aware of the actual amount of pain such a wound inflicts. She's not sure how she's going to be able to handle the pain once it comes on at full force. She's been battered by wild animals before, trained with Erza, who shows no mercy even to a fellow female, but never has she been hurt to this extent.

Lucy looks up to the colorful clouds that peek between the green tint of tree leaves. These wounds, the ache in her body and the onset of panic only solidify one need within her. She has to get out of here.

She hesitantly moves to stand, trying not to jostle her torso as much as possible by keeping a stiff back, but the pain in her side is unavoidable no matter how much her mind tries to override it. Her legs have a hard time coordinating, bending stiff at the knee and bunching in the calf. When she uses her right foot to push off the ground, a burst of pain bites with the force of a hundred teeth at her ankle. It races from the top of her foot up to the knee in quick jabs.

"Ow!" Lucy cries out, falling back to the ground on her butt. "Ow …" she moans, gripping her ribs just above the gash.

Snapping her focus on that disturbing amount of pain, she brings her right leg closer and gently pulls the leg warmer off. Again, like the gash in her ribs, there is no pain when lightly messed with, but who knows how long that will last for. Her ankle is swollen a harsh purple, looking almost black in this minimal amount of light, hidden from the bunched-up bottom half of her leg warmer. Her ankle is sprained.

Tears build in Lucy's eyes. "Dammit …" she whispers. She jerks the broken sandal from her injured foot and throws it as far as she can. "Dammit!" she yells.

She's alone in this dark cave that's caught her by surprise. She might not be bleeding any longer but how is she supposed to move without making things worse for herself? How is she going to escape like this? She's far out in the forest. Nobody can hear her.

She wishes someone was here to help.

* * *

**XxXxXxX**

* * *

"Alright, Natsu!" Romeo cheers. He rushes to stand beside the older boy in the middle of the Bone Cage, the crowd having long cleared in order to stay away from the ensuing fight. Igny blazes around Romeo's fists, having a strange purple tint to it. "I'll help you take him down," he says eager.

"No, you won't!" Macao shouts irritated.

"He's right, kid. Stay out," Natsu says harsh, keeping an eye on Laxus.

Macao grumbles under his breath at the antics of his stupid family and grabs Romeo by the collar of his pelt. He jerks the young boy back to stand with him and the rest of the crowd.

Near the entrance to the Bone Cage, Laxus kneels and whips a line blood off of his lower lip. Lightening flares around his body, creating odd flashes of light that act like shadow monsters crawling up the walls. Most of the tribal men back away from Laxus's growing anger, gathering towards the other side of the hut and crowding around Levy, who remains on the floor. Natsu's sure she's uncomfortable being surrounded by most of the Male Tribe but he doesn't check on her. If it wasn't for Laxus standing at the only entry and exit way to the hut, he's sure the guys would have ran for it long ago. He's seen most of these men stand up to beasts twice their size but there's something about Laxus that many of them can't stand. His attitude is one thing but being fearful of the power he holds, fearful that it'll be used against them, is a sad outlook to anticipate. Natsu ignores some of the pitiful murmurs he can hear. At the very least, he can be proud of the few that have enough balls to prepare for an inevitable fight, keeping separated from the crowd by standing with fists raised and eyes on high alert.

"Don't take this personally," Laxus howls. "But that female that you so-call claimed—and that one behind you—they will leave by tonight!"

Despite his large size, the lightening within Laxus's body acts as a physically enhancer, allowing him to charge with surprising speed. Unable to avoid the fist that suddenly comes flying at him—feeling douses of lightening charge the air, immobilize the muscles and aim for the heart—Natsu bends at the knee and crosses his arms in the shape of an X in front of his head. He automatically closes his eye and braces for impact.

The hit doesn't come.

Snapping his eyes open in shock, Gajeel's outstretched arm runs beside Natsu's head, cupping Laxus's fist and stopping his attack. Gajeel's arm is coated in Metalicana all the way up to his shoulder, shimmering in the light of the torches and shaking slightly from the force that went into Laxus's attack. The lightening that sparks across his metal arm, looking for soft skin to attack, blinds the eye. A slight ting of jealousy runs through Natsu, noticing that Gajeel has improved with his magic. Since when could he do this?

"Get out of here, Natsu. I'll be the one to take him down," Gajeel demands.

"_Huh_?" he says confused, lowering his arms.

"I don't care who I fight. You both need to learn that wanting to keep these female things is unacceptable," Laxus snaps.

"Fine, then! I'll fight you for Levy," Gajeel grunts, rushing forward.

Natsu gets pushed aside—shouting "Hey!" at the shove—and Gajeel takes over the fight, swinging a blind punch at Laxus. Past his cry for war, Natsu can hear Laxus let out a quiet scoff in bluster, not a good sign. He easily catches Gajeel's metal coated fist as if it's nothing but a mild inconvenience and with his other hand proceeds to grab his forearm. Laxus jerks Gajeel to the side, swinging in a full circle and letting him go once they come back around. He gets flung back towards the crowd—straight into Natsu.

"Goddammit," Natsu coughs, shoving the boy off of him. Gajeel's right arm smashed across his upper chest and knocked the breath out of him, his Metalicana arm about restarting his heart.

"Fuck off. I didn't ask for that to happen," Gajeel says agitated, sitting back.

"You did when you butted your fat-ass in to my fight!" he hisses.

"If Laxus is threatening my girl then it's my fight to go after!"

"No, it's mine because I swung first!"

"What kind of logic is that?!"

A monstrous foot stomps down in front of them, shaking the earth and having both of the boys shut up and seize. "That's enough!" Mas Ter shouts, his voice turning into something deep and frightening.

Using his magic to change his body size—an ironic magic, Natsu always thought, considering how short the old man really is—Mas Ter has turned himself into a beast that accompanies his reputation among the Male Tribe. He has to hunch over to not break the animal hides sewn together that form the ceiling and his hands have become big enough that he could scoop up five men at once. The foot that came down near the head-butting boys could have destroyed them from the weight alone if Mas Ter wanted to.

"If you boys want to be childish and get into a needless fight, don't do it in the village!" Mas Ter roars. His large hand sweeps across the room, catching Gajeel, Natsu and Laxus into his fist. He tightly squeezes them together so they can't escape his grasp.

"Gajeel!" Natsu hears Levy shout. Able to see her at the back of the crowd from being lifted up high in Mas Ter's hand, she watches them with worry pulling her eyebrows together and her tied-up hands raise as if trying to reach for the boy she can't help but be concerned with.

"Knock it off, Gramps! I'll take down Laxus!" Natsu huffs, struggling to pull his arms free that are locked at his sides.

"That's my job!" Gajeel says.

Without a word, Laxus's lightening shocks them all and has the boys scream. When it's over, Natsu about passes out from the nerve-pinching agony it gives off, being force to take the extent of the enraged lightening while trapped in Mas Ter's hand. Gajeel about suffers the same fate, his long, black hair standing on end. Mas Ter, otherwise, isn't effect by the lightening, his large body feeling the sting as a slight electrical charge compared to the actual damage it could do to a normal sized body.

Mas Ter brings his other massive hand up and taps the tip of his index finger on top of Laxus's head as reprimand. "Stop that!" he grumbles.

"Let me go, Gramps! How can you possibly think that keeping these females around is a good idea?!" Laxus asked appalled.

Mas Ter brings the boys up close to his furious eyes, the jerking motion making Natsu nauseous. "In my old age, I can do what I want! Now—!" The old man pulls his arm back while the three boys continue to struggle to get out. Seeing the angle Mas Ter positions his arm into, Natsu knows this is going to hurt. "Take this somewhere else!"

Throwing as much force as he can into his swing, the boys fly towards the skin-hide roof of the Bone Cage and burst through it with ease. They greet the morning light.

* * *

**XxXxXxX**

* * *

"Come on. Reach …" Lucy mutters frustrated.

She stretches her left leg out as far as it can go, trying to get the tips of her toes onto the edge of a rock that sticks out from the tunnel wall. She hasn't climbed too far yet but she's determined to get the hell out of here, battered body or not.

Unable to stand on her bad ankle, the only way she can possibly hang onto the wall is by gripping ledges and clinging for dear life. At times, she's practically hanging off of them until she can get some sort of footing with her left leg. Despite only being a few feet of the ground, the exertion from having to move about like this takes its toll quickly. She's already sweating, though that could be part of her anxiety at the situation she's found herself in.

When Lucy gets her left foot on the rock she was reaching for, she shouts in victory, "Ha!", and pulls herself over in its direction. She stands on one foot precariously and little pebbles fall in the aftermath of her movements, the sounds of them bouncing wherever they hit ominous. Looking up to the hole in the ceiling, her goal, it's such a discouraging thing to see how far away it is still.

"I still have so far to go," she groans.

Not having that be enough of a reason to stop, she reaches up for more rocks to grab onto. Lucy can only be thankful to the Matriarch of the world that she's always been a good climber. Having to balance her way up tall trees to find good hunting spots, she's climbed too many trees to count, and while a rock wall is much harsher compared to bark, her arms are strong and instincts sharp.

She cups a rounded rock that sticks out from the wall and pulls herself up on that.

That rocks pops out of the wall and she falls backwards.

Lucy groans loudly and rubs the back of her head, having knocked it against the cold, hard ground when she landed flat on her back. The fall kicks the breath out of her and sends the cut in her side raging with pain. Without thought as she was falling, she kept her sprained ankle slightly elevated. Doing that mostly saved it from any further injuries, but the force of the fall couldn't be completely overcome. Her ankle did bounce back just a little, smacking it against the ground when she landed and having pain run up her leg.

She stays down and tries to remain calm. She fell. That's okay. If she made it out on the first try, that would have been a miracle. Damn, does it hurt though.

Tears build at the edge of her eyes and her lower lip trembles.

_Lucy, let me help_, Aries soft voice chimes in.

Unlike the other horoscope spirits with their booming voices, Aries has always been a soft, little sheep—at least, that's how Lucy imagines her. The sound of Aries floating through her head doesn't hurt. In fact, it's almost comforting to hear this shy voice. Aries has always been such a kind spirit, the type where if Lucy was in need of comforting, the soft spirit would be at the ready to aid her with reassuring words.

**Help? How?** she asks. Horribly, a little part of her mind speaks that there is no possibly way to get out of this situation.

_I will have one of my own call for help._

* * *

**XxXxXxX**

* * *

"Fuckin' dammit," Natsu mutters in pain. "My back is killin' me."

It takes him a moment to realize that he's stuck in a tree—that explains why his back is messed up. Waking up caught in the limbs of an oak tree, its vibrant leaves push up against him on all sides and he's managed to gain a collection of acorns in his lap. Above him, a number of broken branches show the path his unconscious body created, the skinny branches at the top end of the oak unable to take his weight and having him drop until he hit the thicker sized branches below.

Natsu slowly sits upright, his sluggish mind coming around to the situation Mas Ter literally threw him into. Between getting struck by Laxus's lightening and then suddenly being air born, who knows how long he passed out for. Searching past the dense oak leaves, he's unable to see any sign of the Male Tribe and can't catch a familiar scent, either. Shaking his head to clear his mind—and to shake off any other foliage that clings to his hair—he quickly makes his way up the tree and ignores the pain in his stiff joints. At the tree of the top, morning light momentary blinds him from being out in the open. The gentle breeze is a welcomed feeling and once the Big Igny doesn't hurt his eyes any longer, Natsu can get a better view on where he is. Apparently somewhere out past his home, off towards the outskirts of the Male Tribes territory.

_Mas Ter has one of hell of a throw, _he thinks. Turning to look behind him, he can smell how Gajeel was thrown even farther than him. Gajeel is far off enough that in the downwind breeze, Natsu can hardly catch his scent. Laxus is long gone, unable to even tell if he's anywhere nearby.

The dips and rises in the land have Natsu catch sight of his shadow stretching up the length of a narrow pin tree that's settled at the side of a roaring hill. The sight of his shadow jolts his already narrowed nerves. Jerking back around to look at the horizon, the light of the Big Igny and its colorful hues of morning splendor suddenly strike his disoriented mind.

The Big Igny is up.

Lucy.

Natsu frantically makes his way down the tree, skipping a few branches by falling instead and snapping branches, disturbing the animals that call the tree home. His feet harshly meet the damp ground but he doesn't take off right away, pausing to take in the scents at ground level. The tribe is due north, quite a way off from how faint the scent is.

A sheep baa's at him.

"Huh …?" he murmurs surprised. Turning around, Natsu finds a fluffy ... _pink_ sheep standing calmly nearby. Things keep getting weirder. One of its floppy ears twitches and flicks away a fly that keeps near its head. He quickly approaches the sheep. "Hey, bud, what are you doing out here? Mas Ter's already in a bad enough mood. If he finds out that one of our sheep got away, he's going to destroy the place. Come on, let's get you back towards the village. I have to go home to Lucy as soon as I can."

He calmly strokes the animal's pink wool, the fluff jiggling after each petting motion and he tries to coax the animal towards the direction of the village. When the sheep doesn't budge, he thinks about lifting the animal up, having no patience to deal with its stubborn ways. The eyes of the animal capture his attention, their brown depths intense enough to match the earth on a rainy day. There's something strange behind them that's almost unnerving. This isn't some dumb animal he's trying to herd. There's a ... sense of awareness in its eyes.

Natsu kneels beside the sheep and cocks his head to the side. "What's up?"

The sheep once again baa's, this time in his face and making it loud enough that his ears almost ring. It begins to nibble at the edge of his animal vest.

"Hey, quit that," Natsu says, tugging his vest away.

But the sheep insistently keeps its narrow teeth on the vest. It doesn't eat the vest like he's worried about, since sheep have a tendency to eat just about anything. Instead, it takes to tugging on the vest hard enough that he has to put a hand against the sheep to keep from falling.

Once again, that knowing look in the animal's blue eyes says something to Natsu.

He looks over his shoulder in the direction of the tribe, wondering about Lucy ...

He comes back around to the sheep. "Okay, I guess. Lead the way. But this better be worth it," he says unsure.

The sheep releases his vest and, with a surprising amount of speed, makes its way towards a rocky hillside covered in old leaves and bright green ferns. Tapping into the climbing power of its cousin, the goat, its nimble feet make for easy foot holding as the animal climbs up the rocky edge of the hill. Natsu keeps pace with the sheep in his own way, jumping from place to place and knowing this terrain well despite not coming out this way as often as he does compare to other parts of the male territory. The sheep keeps up a steady running pace until they reach the top of the hill where the land flattens out temporarily.

"We almost there?" he asks, running beside the sheep who keeps silent.

Corning around another rocky hillside, the shift in the air slams into Natsu's face.

Lucy's scent.

He ruffles the wool on the sheep's head. "Thanks. I owe you one! I'll come back for you when I can." He runs on ahead without looking back.

Seeming to understand the boy, the pink sheep slows to a stop beside a patch of moss that grows on a rock. The sheep nibbles on the moss as if nothing happened. Eventually, it disappears back into the stars.

There's no escaping a dragon's sense of smell. Even if his back was to her, even if she was upwind and far away, Natsu can always tell where Lucy is. The smell of her veins flowing hot with blood, the beat of her heart that is distinct to his ears, and how her scent spikes with each passing emotion, they're all flags telling him where she is at any given time.

Running to where Lucy is, he dismissed the questions that pound in his head—why is she out here, what happened, did she try and run away like he was afraid of her doing? Those things don't matter right now. He'll worry about them afterword's when he knows that Lucy is safe, because running beside her usual scent is a tinge of blood. It's not fresh, long dried out and caked in a layer of light soil that floats in the air, but blood is still blood. And coming from Lucy, which alone is enough to set his panic into overdrive.

Natsu runs towards the edge of a small cliff and is about to jump down from it, but the moment he sees a large hole waiting to swallow him below, he digs his heels down and stop himself before he can jump. One of his legs slips out from under him at the edge of the cliff and sends little pebbles clattering below. He falls back on his butt and scrambles to back away from tumbling into the darkness below. But that's only survival kicking in, out of his control as muscle and nerves work before he can think. He has to go down into that pitch darkness, because that's where Lucy's scent is the strongest.

It doesn't take much for him to realize what happened. He warned Lucy some time ago about the dangers of those rivets you see in the ground, areas like a dried up river bed. That pattern is formed because the earth below is dead. It's a trick of the eye, a snare brought on by nature itself and has killed many before him. These hidden tunnels are created in the aftermath of colossal moles that have burrowed too close to the surface of the ground. The dirt would come close to breaking up but wouldn't collapse into itself, instead keeping together despite all odds due to root systems and sheer luck. Those cracks in the ground are the only indications to many of what lurks below the surface.

Natsu stands and looks directly down into the ink lake of the hole. He shouts at the top of his lungs. "LUCY!"

* * *

**Authors Notes:**

**Fact: this chapter and the next two I wrote in a span of 7 days. My motivation was** **gone for an entire month and then suddenly it hit my like a train. The issue is editing all of it, which takes the most time out of anything. **

**Thanks for reading! Please, leave a review on this chapter!**


	6. Her Choice

**Her Choice**

* * *

A voice echoes through the tunnel.

Lucy snaps her head up, having taken to steadily staring at the ground to try and think of a way out of her predicament. She gasps at the shock of the voice and frantically searches the opening above her. She makes a little noise of caution. " …?"

Hidden as a dark figure against the backdrop of the bright, outside world, someone is standing on the ledge that she foolishly jumped down from. They're far away and the blur in her vision makes it hard to see the details in the body. Strangely enough, it's as if she can sense the panic and relief in this person, finding her in the darkness below.

Her legs slowly become hallow. It burns her eyes to look at the brightness above but she can't take her eyes off of the figure occupying it.

It's almost unreal that Natsu is here. How did he find her? How could he have known where she was? It's so out-of-place that he's here that it's hard to believe … No, wait, is she so delirious with hurt and grief that she's hearing things? Seeing things? Is she, in actuality, starting to die? Is her mind giving her one last hopeful sight before finally giving out? These thoughts horrify Lucy and she instantly flinches away from them.

Someone came to save her …? And of all people, it's the boy she was trying to get away from. So why, despite that fact, does seeing him make her ecstatic? She supposes if it was anyone else, she would be feeling like this ... That's such a blatant lie it's almost embarrassing that she tried to make an excuse out of it. No one else but Natsu can quicken the pace of her once awaiting heart. It's breath taking to see this boy coming to save her. She thought she never wanted to see his face again no matter the circumstances; the thought of him coming to save her never even crossed her mind, but there's no denying these feelings coursing through her.

"Natsu …" Lucy mutters quietly, unsure but hopeful.

His shoulder line straightens when he hears her ever-so quiet voice. "I hear you! I'm coming down!" he yells.

The tears she thought had gone dry well up once again and she takes in a sharp, deep breath through her nose as if she's about to cry in desperate relief. She didn't realize how hopeless she saw her situation until hope was brought back in front of her.

He jumps into the darkness without a second thought—and knowing he would plunge into this darkness for her makes Lucy's tears overflow harder. Why is he kind to me? Why is he concerned with me? she thinks with her heart wrenching.

That fall was enough to knock her out, but such a jump is nothing to Natsu, landing hard enough at the bottom of the tunnel that the ground faintly cracks below his sandaled feet.

"Lucy!" he gasps, seeing the state she's in. He frantically runs to her with his left arm outstretched.

She's sure she looks awful. Between her body being coated in dirt and blood—her face red with tears that leave clean trails running through the dust on her cheeks—her hair is a tangled mess that has come out of its ponytail. Seeing Natsu, that feeling of no pain comes back and something in her becomes lighter, the weight of dread lifting. Laughter builds in her throat and bubbles out of her mouth as if the noises aren't coming from her. She doesn't know why she's giggling at a time like this but she can't help herself.

Natsu drops in front of Lucy and the hand that was reaching out cups the side of her neck in a cautious display of worry. His other hand hovers by her side, near where the gash in her ribs is. She gives a choked giggle. The warmth of his hand and the smell of his ash-like scent are too sharp to be a delusion of the mind. The realness of it is exhilarating but also delivers a crushing blow that catches her off guard. It makes her cringe slightly, the jerk of her body noticed by Natsu who removes his hand from her neck. Having that happen only makes things worse for her.

"Um, sorry," Natsu mutters sullen.

It hurts, seeing the way his dark eyes search hers in question—Why did you run? Do you not want to see me? It crushes at her racing heart. This type of pain is far worse than any physical pain she's gone through today. So sharp, it's hard to breath properly. Natsu refusing to voice how hurt he is by her action's shocks Lucy, both because of how he feels towards her and because she realizes that she _hates_ being the cause of this pain within him. Where's this coming from? There shouldn't be any pain walking beside the happiness of being found.

Natsu hisses in empathy at the sight of the wound on her lower rib. "You're going to be fine. Lie down and—"

"Natsu!" Lucy gasps breathless. She wraps her arms around his neck and clings as hard as she can to him, what little strength she has left after all that she's endured comparable to a baby bird, but she refuses to let go. She presses up against him hard enough to try and have their breathing become one, to share in the gasp that comes out of his mouth. Her left-hand weaves through the light-pink hair at the nap of his neck, caressing the softness of it and giving her more reason to believe that he's really here.

She can tell that he isn't used to contact like this, his body going stiff and arms left to hang in the air due to uncertainty. He can so easily get into her personal space but when someone else to goes to him, it leaves Natsu confused and hesitant. Eventually, he lets his breath go and slumps into her hug, the tension and panic leaving him as relief washes over his body. He takes to gently rubbing her back but its done in an awkward way from the uneven motion of it. It makes her want to almost laugh.

Lucy presses her eyes against his scarf and her tears soak into it. "Thank you! I was so scared …" she sobs.

Natsu says. "You don't have to thank me for such a thing. Let's get you patched up and go home."

Someone came for her. _He_ came for her. She didn't think that him finding her would turn out to be such a blessing.

"Let me look at you," he says.

He pulls on her upper arms to have her back away almost unwillingly. They sit before one another, their knees touching and arms lightly caressing where they can hold onto, for Lucy that being Natsu's scarf that she grips one handed. She tries to wipe away her tears and embarrassingly listens to that crazed, hiccup noise escape her mouth. His eyes linger on each part of her, seeing the bruises that have slowly formed but finding no further injuries indicating broken bones. When he sees her swollen ankle, his upper lip pulls back in a sneer. She suddenly notices that she's not the only one between them that is in disheveled shape. He looks like he got punched in the jaw line, a slight bruise forming that blends in quietly with his tan skin. Are those leaves shoved between the folds of his scarf?

Natsu keeps a hand against her shoulder and leans down a little to get on eye level with her. "Are you in a lot of a pain?"

"It's okay. Comes and goes," she says quietly.

"Can you hold still so I can look at the cut on your side?"

She gently nods and takes a deep breath to open her throat, not wanting to sound like a broken mouse any longer. She doesn't mind crying in front of him, an act so vulnerable it _should_ bother her, but she's happy enough to see him that she's willing to let him shoulder some of her weakness.

He takes off his pelt top and begins to rip it apart, trying to make an even strip out of it with some difficulty. Once he gathers enough material, destroying his pelt and leaving him bare chested, he scoots closer to Lucy's right side and hands the torn line of animal hide to her. He's about to pull her hide that is soaked in dried blood aside but he pauses. There's a furrow to his brow and a small humming noise comes from him.

"If this hurts a lot, tell me," he says cautious.

Not liking the idea of that, she keeps quiet but nods once again.

Natsu, as softly as he can, pulls the fur hide away from her skin. The dried blood clings to certain parts, needing to be torn up and off from the skin. It makes her hiss, trying to contain as much of her pain as she can. She doesn't want to make Natsu nervous. With his hearing though, it probably doesn't matter. He repeatedly tells her to hang on a little longer and that he's almost done. Once her hide is out of the way, Natsu examines the wound by prodding at its open edges. Each little movement makes the opening sting. Lucy grits her teeth and grips the strip of hide in her lap harder. The bruises forming around its edges make her almost want to scream as he continues to push against them, checking if her ribs are broken.

"Good news. The wound isn't deep. It's gonna sting like a bitch for a while but I think your ribs are fine," Natsu says. "That ankle of yours …"

"I know. It's sprained. I can't stand on it at all," she sighs.

He takes the strip of hide from her and wraps it around her torso, the length of it allowing to be wrapped three times and tied into a knock at the front. While the wound isn't bleeding, Lucy feels much better having it wrapped up nice and tight. It should have been cleaned firstly, like Wendy teaches in the Female Tribe, but this is an emergency, she supposes.

Natsu kneels beside her and goes quiet. It makes Lucy's eyebrows furrow in apprehension. It's not normal for him to be this quiet, but his silence doesn't confuse her. She knows what he wants to say, although she would rather discuss these matters later. Maybe he can't contain himself. He knew this was coming and even warned how she shouldn't escape, how this land is riddled with these sink holes, but that look in his eye says that he must still feel betrayed. Is that selfish on her part or his part? Who knows? Lucy doesn't want to have guilt continue to eat at her racing heart but she can't help it.

The ground begins to shake. Subtle, at first, little pebbles dancing up and down softy against the ground until the trembling rises to the point of their bodies shaking with the rumble. A roaring force is making its way down the tunnel.

Natsu gasps. "Back up." Without warning, he scoops Lucy up into his arms and takes her to the back-wall of the tunnel, setting her down with her head spinning from the sudden movement. Confusion and panic outweigh her dizziness.

"What is it? Why is the ground shaking?" she asks frantic. She looks around Natsu's broad shoulder line, as he kneels before her to act as a shield between her and whatever is coming.

"You'll be fine," he says.

The shaking rattles Lucy's teeth and has a mild headache return. Then, out of the darkness of the tunnel comes the monster that made it, and the shaking stops.

A colossal mole dominates the space of the tunnel, the biggest monster she's ever seen, bigger than a mammoth and on rival with the terrifying creatures told in stories to entertain people in the night. The mole lifts its twitching snout towards the sky, sniffing the fresh air and giving a high-pitched noise in agitation towards the light that comes into his tunnel.

Lucy about screams seeing this thing. Luckily, she remembers Natsu's instructions to keep quiet and she snaps a hand to cover her mouth before she can yell. "It's massive!" she whispers.

"Big but blind," he whispers back. "These things are kind of dumb, so lay low and keep quiet and he'll leave."

The mole turns its head their way. Its beady eyes are closed and though she's unable to see any ears on the animal, she imagines a pair of fox like ears on the moles head turning towards them after hearing their voices echo in the tunnel. One of its fur-less paws drops near them, it's claws massive and gut-wrenching, showing how this beast is able to claw through rock and dirt.

The mole tilts its head to the side and slowly lifts up on its hind legs, half of its head out of the ceiling hole, as if trying to examine what he can't see. The mole drops back down on all fours with an earth-shattering thump that startles Lucy. It takes off, scurrying back into its dark tunnel and shaking the ground violently. She loses her balance in the commotion and drops forward, clinging to Natsu to not hit the ground. Things settle down the farther away the mole goes, leaving behind a pair of humans that are stunned into silence.

They both hesitate to move for a few seconds, Lucy anticipating the mole to return or for another one to take its place.

Natsu beings to laugh. "That was awesome!"

She has to agree with him despite everything. It was quite the ice-breaker to have that large creature interrupt them out of nowhere. That thing was insane! Lucy starts off chuckling slightly only to kick into hysterical laughter, the same as Natsu. She doesn't care that laughter hurts her injured side; she keeps at it.

"That stupid thing caused me so much trouble! Wow! I can't believe it actually exists. Why?!" she cackles.

"Because they can," he snickers, standing up. "Good thing he ran off. If he had tried anything, I'd eat him."

"Don't eat a mole of all things, Natsu."

"I won't. Bet it tastes like dirt, anyway."

They both continue laughing for some time, their left-over excitement at such an event slowly turning into chuckles, which in turn become amused smiles.

Lucy keeps to her spot on the ground, since she can't stand up even if she wanted to. She's about to tease Natsu some more, but the moment she finds his face, she stops. With his back facing her, she can partially see his face but that's enough to be able to tell past his grin that he's putting up a farce. She sees something trying to hide in his expression. He's still held down by what can't be avoided and not even a big monster stumbling upon them can make them laugh for long. The reality of her situation comes back to her, as well.

"What is it?" Lucy asks softly.

The moment she acknowledges his unease, Natsu sighs exhausted and quickly shows his true emotions. He shoves his fingers between his bangs, pushing them back. "Hey, listen ... do you, um…" He turns slightly towards her, looking down at the ground and dropping his arm. His eyebrows lower over his eyes. "What the fuck am I doing? Screw it. Lucy—" he looks her in the eye, "—do you want to go home with me?"

Her eyes widen.

He's giving her a choice?

"What ... changed?" she asks confused.

"Nothing," he shrugs. "I still believe you belong in my family, but after all of this time … do you _really_ hate my home? Have I treated you wrong? Do you hate me—?"

She interjects. "I don't hate you."

That is the absolute truth. No matter her escape attempt, this boy … well, the way his mind works seems to have thing lean in his favor. He's simple, straight forward and that's why he truly believes this gut feeling he has won't lead him astray. She's thought before that she can't really be mad at Natsu for such strange thinking and she still stands by that. He's been nothing but kind to her this entire time.

"I still understand why you did it. I've actually thought about letting you visit the Female Tribe but that's a little hard to do right now. Males and females don't get along and … shit, I can't explain it. I know it's not good," he says frustrated.

"Without an alliance formed, trying to live back and forth between the Male Tribe and the Female Tribe is troublesome. Almost impossible ..." Lucy explains. "That's true. I never really thought of that until now."

"Yeah … that." There's an oddity to his tone, perhaps indicating that he wants to say more, but he doesn't and she lets it go.

"It's nice that you've thought of that for me," she says, thinking. "You know, I feel the need to apologize. Not sure why though. I mean, not only for ... _this_ but because I've been pretty mean towards you more often than not. _I'm _the one that should be asking if you hate me after all of this."

He snorts amused. "You kidding? That you're willing to kick my ass at any time is awesome."

"Your priorities are messed up."

"I just mean you're strong and I like that."

Ah, and there's the flutter again.

Should she return with Natsu? Looking down at her ankle, it's not like such a question matters. She has to go home with him to let her ankle recover, but what about everything else? Leave out her injured ankle, if she could walk, would she go back with him? He's been so adamant to believe that she belongs with him that his tone never shifted to indicate uncertainty. Even now, when he's anticipating her answer and rescuing her from an escape attempt, his tone never once wavered. It's a powerful thing to realize how determined a person can be when they feel they're doing the right thing. On top of that, it's amazing to see how he values her point of view on all of this.

The vulnerability of this situation is a blessing in disguise. It can be exhausting trying to ignore the meaning behind repeated feelings. Right now, Lucy can finally admit that Natsu does strange things to her. Things that aren't bad, confusing on why they're happening, but ...

This time, she intently watches the way Natsu smiles at her and gives a boyish cock of his head to the side in question at her stare. She lets the flutter take over her body at full force. It's only this boy that can cause such a shutter within her soul. One, she can finally admit, she doesn't mind. In fact, she's quite curious about it. Going back home with this boy …

For some strange reason, Lucy's throat has gone dry looking at Natsu. She's never been one to be shy, but this is all completely new to her. That shyness makes her voice come out small. "I want to go home with you."

He glows, and that happy look makes all the guilt eating at her vanish. She ducks her eyes away from him, unable to bring herself to look him in the face any longer. "Natsu … if I had successfully left, would you have remembered me?"

"Duh. Why wouldn't I?" he asks. He kneels before her, and Lucy can sense how he wants to look directly at her face but she won't let him.

"I just took up a short part of your life. I get you'd remember that I was female, but would you remember _me_?"

He chuckles soft and when his hands suddenly palm her face, Lucy about breaks down into a tight-throat squeak. Unexpectedly, Natsu has her face come back around to look directly at him, his touch leaving her to become like sand, pliable to his touch and letting him do as he please. He gently touches his forehead to hers, the gesture bringing them close enough that Lucy, for the first time, can see specks of green reflect in the dark depths of his eyes. They're beautiful.

"Listen to me, Lucy," Natsu says. "I'm a nut case that forgets what I ate for breakfast, but you I will always remember."

Oh, Gods, maybe this isn't a good thing? she thinks frantically.

He lets her go and turns to have his back face her. "Get on. I'll carry you back home."

"Alright …" she says quiet, trying to get back into reality.

Lucy hesitantly wraps her arms around his neck and presses her chest to his bare back. Thankfully, the wound she has is far enough around her side that it doesn't press against him, though having him bounce her slightly in order to secure his hands on the back of her thigh's does make it ache. He gets up quickly and the fast movement makes her head spin, snapping her face down into the side of his neck and smothering into his scarf to try and keep nausea away. Her bad ankle hangs in the air, unable to do much for it besides refrain from moving her leg as much as possible.

Lucy groans a little as she tries to steady her head.

"You okay?" Natsu asks.

"I'm fine. Dizzy, is all," she says muffled by his scarf.

"Sorry about that. If you're going to throw up, at least tell me so I don't get barfed on."

His unusually timed humor manages to make her chuckle a little. "Will do."

"Okay, hang on."

When he bunches his knees in preparation, Lucy tightens her grip around him, locking her arms down in each of her hands and clenching her thighs around his waist. Natsu jumps upwards at an angel towards the rock wall she failed to climb. He slams a food down half-way up the wall and leverages himself out the rest of the way. She's jostled a little more, but as soon as morning sunlight shines behind her closed eyes, everything halts.

"How'd you do?" Natsu asks.

To her already sensitive nerves, the shock of fresh air makes Lucy catch her breath. Narrowing her eyes open, they sting with sunlight, going from a long, comfortable darkness to the brightness of morning light, but that burning sensation is nothing compared to the sting of the heart, the joy of getting out of that hell-hole and reaching for the open light of day once more.

"I'm fine," she says at ease.

"Good. We're pretty far from the tribe, meaning even farther from home. It's going to be a bumpy ride for a while."

"I'll try not to get sick."

"You sound like me," he chuckles. "I can't stand when things rock. Makes me sick."

Natsu begins to leap up the rocks without warning. Lucy traveled all this way down and now they have to make their way back up, a fact she dreads. Despite carrying someone else, he travels through the rock and forest with ease, though that doesn't mean it's a smooth ride for Lucy. It's going to be difficult for her to not_ actually_ vomit on Natsu if this keeps up, as each dip and lift in the ground that he travels on messes with her sense of balance.

To distract herself, Lucy asks quietly. "How'd you find me?"

"It was thanks to this pink sheep," Natsu answers. He gasps loudly and takes to pausing in his tread. "Wait, I gotta find that sheep! I need to bring it back to the village."

"Wait, tell me more. Are you sure it was pink?" she asks knowingly.

"Yeah and it had these weird dark brown eyes. I don't know where the thing came from but it wasn't normal. Not because it was pink of all things, but because it … _knew_. It was thanks to that animal that I found you."

Aries, Lucy thinks astonished. She did come through. The thankfulness within Lucy's soul sends a message to her friend that has no need to be said out loud.

_You're welcome, Lucy, _Aries replies quiet as ever.

**I'm just glad you're out of that damn hole**, Loki chimes in. **I'm assuming I can talk again, right?**

Lucy smiles slightly. **_Go ahead. I know it's hard for you to keep quiet._**

**I'll let that one go, for now.**

"You don't need to find the sheep," she informs Natsu.

"Huh? You sure?" he asks confused.

"Yeah. I ... well, the gods sent that sheep as a message to you. Trust me, I know. Did this sheep led you all the way from the village?"

"I, uh, actually got thrown into a tree," he says, trusting her words and slowly starting back up his running pace. "Mas Ter got pissed off and threw us out of the village, so I was practically half-way to you, thanks to that."

"Thrown into a tree …? How? And what for?" she asks confused.

"Well, the guys couldn't agree on … some things. Bunch of idiots. It got to the point where Laxus was running his mouth and I was trying to get him to shut up only for Mas Ter to interfere. He shouldn't have. I could have taken Laxus down without a problem."

"I hope everyone's okay," she says half-hearted, not feeling too much sympathy for these other males she doesn't know.

"Eh, they'll get over it."

Eventually, the land flattens out and the incline back to the village becomes subtle enough that it's almost unnoticeable. Lucy can finally stop taking deep breaths to keep her stomach from rolling. The rest of the way back to the house is steady enough that she begins to fall asleep, laying heavy against Natsu, who doesn't seem to mind her weight. The heat that steadily comes off of him reminds her of the nest back at his house, the warmth within it and how it would coat her in a sort of mesmerizing dance that would lull her to sleep eventually, no matter how preoccupied her mind might be. Eventually, it becomes that there is no sense of where she is, unable to realize past her tired mind when Natsu pushes aside the buffalo hide to his house.

"There you two are!"

Happy's voice snaps her awake, lifting her head up from Natsu's shoulder to see where she is.

"What happened? Why are you so dirty, Lucy?" the little cat asks worried.

"She got into some trouble. Don't worry, Buddy, she'll be fine," Natsu grins.

"I keep hearing something going on towards the village. People are yelling so early in the morning! I was about to fly down that way to see what was up when you two came along."

Natsu kneels in the middle of the nest to let her down. The moment the soft furs rub against Lucy's legs, she wishes she didn't need her injuries attended to. She could sleep in the filth and grim that coats her for all she cares, she's so tired. Mustering up enough of her mind to keep from falling asleep, she lets go of Natsu and gently sits down on the pile of furs.

"You look awful," Happy says point-blank.

She frowns. "Thanks."

"You know, if you want to rub your scent on the ground, there are better ways to do it."

"What are you talking about?"

"I love rolling in the dirt," he says hugging himself, as if he can feel the dust and dirt layering over his fur. "It tells the other animals around here that this is my home. Afterwards, when I build up a big layer of dirt on myself, I shake it all off somewhere else. Doing that spreads my scent farther."

"I wasn't doing anything like that."

"Oh ... then what were you doing?"

Lucy couldn't bring herself to personally say goodbye to this cute, little creature, so how could she possibly explain and betray his fragile heart by saying she was running away?

She shrugs and gives a small smile. "It's nothing. Look, I'm tired. I just want to sleep for now."

"That's fine. I'm gonna go check out the village, now that you two are back."

"I don't know if you'll want to do that, Bud," Natsu says uncertain. "Everyone was kind of pissed off last I was there and I get the feeling that their moods haven't improved much since then."

"You piss them off all the time. I'm used to dealing with that."

He scoffs. "I do not."

"I'll be back guys!" Happy unfurls his wings and takes off past the buffalo hide doorway into the daylight.

"What exactly is your tribe fighting about?" Lucy asks.

"Somethin' stupid," he says quickly. Natsu gets up to search inside a woven basket, bending at the waist from how tall it is and trying to reach down to the bottom of it. Lucy can hear him mutter about how 'damn things are never around when you want them'. He comes out with cotton woven into a long cloth and a handful of small fish bones.

She stiffens seeing the bones, knowing that he's probably going to attempt to stitch her rib wound closed. She hates the thought of it. Can he do such delicate work?

He grabs a small jug of water from the floor and a thick plank of wood that has been carved flat. If she remembers right, Natsu was carving that piece of wood to fix a hole in the back of the house.

"Alright, let's get to this quick. You look like you're about to pass out," he grins in a tease, setting all of his items down beside her.

"I'll agree with you there," she says.

Natsu is surprisingly tentative, discarding the make-shift wrap around her torso and properly cleaning the wound. Looking down at it without dirt and blood in the way, the wound isn't nearly as bad as Lucy once thought. Granted, the moment you touch it, the thing cries out like a bitch, but the cut itself isn't deep. She could probably clean and dress the wound herself if she wanted to ... but watching Natsu focus all of his attention on her needs has her keep quiet. Thankfully, he sees that her wound isn't in need of stitches either and the little fish bones are instead used to secure the cloth wrapped around her torso.

She straightens out her leg and figures out that the plank of wood is going to be used as an anchor in order for her ankle to properly heal against. Having Natsu wrap cloth around the sprain and securing the wood to her ankle is the worse part.

"You okay?" he asks, frowning slightly at the whimpers she tries to hold back.

She lets out a puff of air and tries to give her best smile. "I'm fine. Thanks for doing all of this."

"Like I said, don't thank for something like this. We're family, we look out for each another."

Though pausing for moment, Lucy eventually agrees with a small nod.

The instant she burrows into the center of the nest and cuddles into its warmth, her eyes, arms, legs, virtually every part of her body become heavy. Gods, she never thought she'd miss this nest of furs! Natsu tucks the pelts in along her left side, as she faces away from the doorway to try and get as much darkness as she can. After almost facing death in a dark tunnel, anyone would figure that the last thing she'd want is more darkness, but she wants to drown out this light behind her eyes that makes her headache stick around.

* * *

**Authors Notes:**

**You never realize how hard it is to write "enemies to friends" arc's until you actually try. Natsu and Lucy were never enemies, really, but you get the point. The amount of times I've spent re-editing Lucy's thought process was asinine.**

**Make sure to review this chapter to tell me what you guys think! **


	7. Trust

**Trust**

* * *

It doesn't take long for Lucy to fall asleep. If it wasn't for the pain she was in, Natsu suspects that she would have fallen asleep long ago. Her breathing calms down and her face finally relaxes, leaving behind that small indent of agitation between her eyebrows that's been there from the moment he found her.

By her side, Natsu sits completely still and takes in the security of their home. How the wood walls keep danger out. How the straw roof keeps the elements out. How these furs ensure Lucy's warmth. How the cotton cloth wrapped around her and the care he put into her body reassures that she'll heal quickly. This is a place that she'll always be safe to come home to. Lucy's okay. She didn't die. She's back where she belongs.

Natsu's gut was right. He knew she'd try and leave, and while he was prepared for that, sadly almost waiting for the inevitable, what he wasn't expecting to find was the state she'd be in. It was such a shock to find Lucy injured, though it shouldn't have been. He'd seen other men get cuts and bruises, some of them even coming close to death, but the sight of Lucy crying her heart out and having her battered body barley keep itself upright was far worse than anything he'd seen before.

He was used to the glowing health that Lucy had; clean skin and soft hair he was tempted to run his fingers through at times, the way her cheeks heated with warm blood and how her body would move with a swiftness that showed just how in shape she was. Having her be in a constant state of 'okay' meant that he was keeping his promise, he was making sure that was she was provided and cared for.

Finding her beaten up by the world suddenly made him afraid. _That's_ an emotion he normally never experiences, not because his life is ordinary—there are predators and life endangering circumstances all over this world—but because confidence runs so thickly through his blood that fear has no place within him. Action first and thought later, that's how most people would describe him, which is true, not that Natsu considers that to be a bad thing. Fear sprung up in him and it about made him good mad. He had to do whatever it took to save Lucy, and if that meant he had to sacrifice his own throat to save her, he'd do it.

Thankfully, his throat is intake and he was panicking over nothing. A cut to the ribs and a sprained ankle will heal. Fuck it, he's had worse injuries himself, but seeing them on Lucy of all people simply made it seem that much worse. She's got a lot of guts; he'll give her that. Throughout most of this, she tried to hold back her pain as much as she could and she never once complained. Maybe she was simply too tired to try, because from past experience Natsu knows she sure doesn't have a problem voicing her complaints.

What's more important, she willingly came back home with him. Despite everything, she returned. It makes the sting of betrayal he once had in his heart fade away. Despite anticipating her attempt to leave, it hurt to see her do it. When Natsu found Lucy, her safety was the main priority, but there was a still a tint of sadness in his mind that he tried to look past to the best of his abilities.

She might have tried to leave but she thankfully didn't fight to get away when he came to save her. He thought she was trying to, at first, after seeing the way she cringed at the hand that was touching her. But when she hugged him, that changed things. The way she clung and sobbed against his chest, how she cooperated with him throughout the whole ordeal and even allowed herself to smile back at him, made Natsu's hesitation go away. She was so happy to see him that he couldn't believe it. She never willingly came that close to him before. She was looking at him for the first time without any lingering doubt or anger in her eyes. Once Lucy's genuine happiness came through, Natsu realized what he was seeing before all this time was a girl going through the motions of life. In that tunnel, Lucy finally opened up to him. She let him actually take care of her, she shed tears in front of him and she laughed with him. He got to hear her say she wants to go home with him. And it was amazing.

She hasn't admitted to him thus far, but Natsu thinks that despite whatever she's said, they've been bonding all this time. That's why he gave her a choice. It seemed simple to take Lucy home, at first, when she was nothing more than an attractive stranger, but once he _actually_ got to know her, Natsu now see Lucy as Lucy. He couldn't ask for more. That's why her opinion on her return mattered to him.

"How could you let this happen?!"

"I didn't do anything!"

"Exactly!"

Natsu sighs quietly. "What now …?"

These voices are far away, almost half-way to the village, but with Natsu's hearing they whisper for him to distinguish who's speaking. Gajeel and Gray are arguing about something, their voices steadily getting closer, meaning they're walking away from the village and coming towards his direction. Apparently Gajeel must have found his way back to the tribe after being thrown, obviously still pissed about being tossed about into the forest like a dead animal. Natsu wonders what that means for Laxus. Eventually, he hears other voices, as well, taking note of them now that two sets of voices have come into focus. There are men spread all about, some to the south, close to the direction he and Lucy just came from, other's echoing in the nearby mountains caves as they seem to be searching for something.

What? Did Laxus go missing because he couldn't find his way out of the damn forest? Natsu thinks.

Happy barges past the doorway and lands hard enough to stir up some dust. He gasps to catch his breath and places a paw at the small of his back. "Geez, Natsu, you might want to come and see this," he says frantic.

"What's up?" Natsu asks, standing and walking out of the house.

"There was another female!" Happy says surprised, flapping his wings to keep on eye-level. "Everyone keeps saying that she's gone missing! They're trying to find the girl—Hey, where are you going?"

He takes off towards Gajeel and Gray's voices. "Happy, go inside and stay with Lucy. Look after her while I'm gone!"

"Huh?! Wait—what's happening?" Happy looks back and forth between home and his companions fading back as he runs farther away.

Natsu isn't concerned about leaving Lucy almost as quickly as he found her, knowing from past experience that exhaustion of her kind isn't going to be thrown off so soon. She'll be sleeping for the next whole day possibly, and that thought is soothing enough that he doesn't worry about her safety. She's back home. Nothing to be afraid of there.

Near the outer edge of the village, Gajeel and Gray are in each other's faces, although both take on completely difference stances. Gajeel is all teeth and has his fists brought up while Gray leans forward to get into Gajeel's personal space, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his pelt wrapping.

"What the hell are you guys doing?" Natsu asks dull, already over their argument when he's been put through enough bullshit for the day.

"This guy is an idiot and I'm going to kick his ass for it!" Gajeel roars.

"I'm not that one that got in a huffy and had to get myself all worked up over some girl," Gray spits.

"You were the one stupid enough to tell the other guys to put her in my hut!"

"Shouldn't that be a good thing? You were the one that wanted her in the first place. Where else would I have put her?"

"Yeah, I planned to take her home—" he says this part quieter with a bout of embarrassment but quickly goes back to yelling, "—but none of you were smart enough to put up a guard or something outside the house to make sure she didn't get away!"

"Wait, shut up a second. Levy's _gone_?" Natsu ask incredulously.

"Yeah, she got away on Gajeel," Gray explains. "We're not sure how. He says she ... what, blinded you?"

"She did!" Gajeel turns towards Natsu, desperate to have someone believe him. "When I finally got home after being goddamn thrown, I found Levy sitting in the middle of my house! She was still tied up and look ready to kick my head off, but—I don't know. We talked a little and I let her go free, taking the ropes off and shit. She asked me about Bunny Girl—"

"Lucy," Natsu interrupts.

"—but I don't know much about Bunny Girl, so all I told Levy was that she was at your house. She kept asking me stuff. Like, what being a guy was and other weird things. She didn't seem too freaked out once it was just me and her, so I guess she finally found her voice. After a while, she did this ... thing with her hands. She said somethin', too, but I don't remember what. All of a sudden, symbols floated above my head and she was gone! Poof! I could still smell her scent but my eyes didn't work. It was freakish. Eventually her scent went away, too, but I couldn't follow after her. Something heavy dropped on top of me and I couldn't fuckin' move."

"She must have a gift for magic," Gray concludes.

"I can't believe she got away on me!" Gajeel groans with his head between his hands. "And here I thought I could finally get on the same level as Flame Crotch over here with my own girl and she up and disappears on me."

"Why would you feel the need to get even with me? If you want a fight, I'll kick your ass as soon as tomorrow comes," Natsu says.

"Why not now?"

"I got a lot going on already."

"Look, either way, Natsu, we got a small search party going to try and find her," Gray says. "Why don't you help out?"

Natsu asks slowly. "When you told Levy about Lucy being at my house, you didn't say exactly where that was, did you?"

"Uh ... yeah, I did," Gajeel says simply. "By the trail to the south of the tribe."

Before any silence can follow, Natsu takes a swing at Gajeel's stomach.

"Fuck you, that was cheap," he chokes, kneeling down and covering his stomach.

"Entertaining for me," Gray smiles.

Natsu runs back towards home. He knew something was off about the house! The moment he pushed aside the buffalo hide, a scent lingered in the air but the scent was old enough that he couldn't fully tell if it was human or something that wafted downdraft on the wind. There was no indication that anything was moved, no footprints or hand marks anywhere, but that scent bothered him until he focused back on Lucy and her wounds. Levy was there! She found her way to where Lucy was hiding and came for her. But without Lucy being there, she left empty handed.

Yet has she been waiting in secret for Lucy to come back all this time? Has she been waiting for him to leave first before entering the house to take Lucy back? He didn't smell anyone suspicious nearby when he stepped out of the house, but these thoughts scare him enough that he doesn't stop sprinting until he's left standing in the doorway of his house.

"Whoa, what's wrong?" Happy asks startled. He sits upright beside Lucy, who hasn't moved an inch.

She's still here. Natsu leans against the door frame, the sudden adrenaline rush of going from calm to panicking leaving his chest tight. He takes a deep breath and goes to Lucy.

"Seriously, are you okay …?" Happy asks dumbfounded.

"Yeah, I'm fine now," he mutters sitting down.

She sleeps content, buried under so many fur layers that Natsu can hardly see her breathing motions. Her scent is peaceful, covered in dirt and sweat, but this unique smell is alive and under his nose.

"So, what happened?" Happy asks, coming over to lean his paws against Natsu's leg in eagerness for gossip.

"Ah …" He pauses to think things over, but decides to tell the truth. "You were right. Another girl was here. Her name's Levy."

"Did they get her?"

"No, she got away. Gajeel was seriously pissed."

"That's too bad. I'm not looking forward to dealing with Gajeel for a while." Happy softly looks to Lucy. "Are you going to tell her?"

That's a good question, Natsu thinks. A good question, but not one he needs to think about for long. It wouldn't be right to keep such a secret from Lucy for multiple reasons. She recently put enough trust in him to not only let him save her but to have him take her back home when it was the place she was originally trying to leave from. On top of that, trust is something that is both given and taken, and she can't possibly trust him if she were to find out that he lied to her about Levy being here. Her consent in wanting to come home is the biggest show of trust she could ever give to him and he won't doubt her on her sincerity of it.

… But will telling Lucy that another female came for her only make her determination to leave come back? Even with that thought in mind, the burden of lying to her is too much for Natsu to handle.

* * *

**XxXxXxX**

* * *

Lucy awakens to the sound of birds.

The dull gray light of the mid-morning leaves little room for her to properly see but such a thing doesn't matter. She knows where she is. She's back at Natsu's home, back in the softness of the nest and the trapped warmth that comes from Natsu himself. She lies on her side facing him as he sleeps next to her, an arm under his head and one of his legs kicked out from the furs, unbothered by the coolness in the air.

There isn't much for Lucy to think about, everything too muddled to concentrate on. It seems that she woke up too early, her body not ready to return to life but her mind momentarily being roused by the loud sound of the nearby birds as they sing their songs.

It doesn't feel wrong that she's back at Natsu's home. It doesn't feel like she's trapped. Everything is too serene to have any negativity in her heart.

With no thought, Lucy reaches out to the sleeping boy and softly places her hand against his cheek. His skin runs hotter than anyone she's ever known, like touching Igny in the form of a human. He must unconsciously sense her touch, as he dukes his head down a little, as if trying to cuddle into the palm of her hand.

It makes her smile.

* * *

**XxXxXxX**

* * *

"You son of a bitch …" Lucy hears Natsu mutter.

It's such an odd thing to wake up to that it makes her softly snicker under her breath. Tugging down the pelt that covers her head, she finds Natsu at the Igny pit trying to whine a strip of rope into a ball, the mess coming undone in certain parts due to being packed together too tightly.

"How long did I sleep for?" she asks. Her voice comes out as a croak, having her clear her throat and quickly wish for some water.

His back straightens hearing her voice. "Oh, mornin', Lucy," he says, putting the failed rope-ball aside. The moment he does that, Happy springs out from his shadow and rolls around with it in play. "You've been asleep for two Igny rises."

"Two whole days," she says surprised.

"Yeah, even I haven't slept that long. How you feel? Hungry?"

"I think I'm okay. I can't really tell much under all these furs. Feels like I'm a butterfly in a cocoon. Although, I am hungry. And really thirsty."

"That's a good sign," he smiles. He goes to a large, clay jug in the corner of the house and gathers water from the jug into a wooden bowl. "You sound like a toad," he chuckles. "Drink this."

Lucy pushes aside the pelts to cautiously sit upright, remembering the cut in her right side and her sprained ankle, making sure to keep pain away from these areas. Supporting her upper body on a hand and moving her legs under her, she comes to find out that while her bigger wounds are to be cautious about, there are worse pains to be dealt with.

"I feel like I got hit by a mammoth," she groans. Her entire body aches, muscles protest no matter how she moves, limbs bruised and bones cracking in multiple parts.

Natsu hands Lucy her bowl of water, which she sips timidly to make sure her throat is able to take it down. He grabs one of the nest pelts and drapes it over her back, securing it around her shoulders.

"I got some Devils Claw root from Mas Ter. It'll help with the pain," Natsu says. "I would eat it with something. That stuff tastes nasty."

"Thank you," she says.

Lucy finds it funny that her ankle doesn't hurt as much compared to the rest of her body. How strange is that? While eating soup for breakfast—making sure to pace herself, as she hasn't eaten in two days and remembers the consequences of woofing down food on an empty stomach—she can slowly feel the Devils Claw root set in, taking her pain away. It reminds her of Pheasant Tuff, figuring that they must be the same root only called by different names depending on the tribe. In her two days of sleeping, she's made a complete mess of the nest, not only by rustling up the pelts in all different directions but by rubbing the dust off her body onto the furs. Natsu says a little dirt doesn't bother him, since he's already slept in the dirt twice while she was sleeping, but Lucy hates the idea. She has Natsu take each of the pelts outside and hit them until the dust flies away in the wind. She would love to bathe but that's going to be hard to do with a bad ankle. The most she can do is get a cotton cloth wet and rub it against her body to whip away the dirt. Her hair ... unfortunately, nothing she can do about that besides brush a rib bone through it to try and untangle it.

"Hey, there's something I want to talk about," Natsu says seriously.

They sit outside by the cliff-side near the house, Lucy having enough of the nest after sleeping in it for so long. She rests on a large rock looking out to the never-ending landscape below, the fresh air seeming to do some good to her recovering body and to her once fried emotions. Natsu has been doing multiple exercise routines, sit ups, push ups and what not, working up a slight sweat.

Here is comes, Lucy thinks apprehensive. She was waiting for him to confront her on her escape attempt. It was only a matter of time. At least he had the decency to let her get settled in before pouncing. She balls her hands against her bare thighs and ducks her head down. "I know what you're going to say, and ... I'm sorry for hurting you. I told you multiple times—"

"I'm not talking about that," Natsu dismisses, standing up. "I don't even want to talk about it. You came back, Lucy, that's what matters to me."

"Oh, um ... then if this isn't about ..._ that_, then what?"

He gives a harsh sigh and lowers his hand. "This is a lot, but, uh …" His voice lowers to almost a mutter but Lucy is able to hear him. "Levy was here."

Hearing that name is such a shock that it leaves her almost confused. "Levy … As in, my friend, Levy?"

"Yeah. Small, blue haired girl."

"Levy was here!" she shouts astonished. She stands up, forgetting about her bad ankle and resting some of her weight on it. She instantly regrets her reaction. Pain shoots through her strong enough that the Pheasant Tuff can't take it away, making her leg go weak and give out under her.

"Hold on!" Natsu shouts, catching her quickly.

He supports her weight by wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close to lean against him, his other hand resting on the small of her back. Lucy clings to his pelt vest, fisting the material tight enough that her knuckles turn white. Combine the heat rising in her body from this on-burst of shock and Natsu's own body temperature, it makes the tip of her ears about melt. The remaining pain in her ankle—as most of it is drastically reduced once she balances her weight on her good ankle—gets ignored in favor for the confusion and anger that can't help but burst forth within her.

"Why didn't you say something sooner?!" Lucy yells. "When did Levy come by? Is she still here?"

"She's not here anymore," Natsu says carefully.

He moves her to sit back down on the rock, her hands continuing to cling to him without her notice, as if her claws are stuck in the fur, trying to attack whatever part of him she can without causing actual physical harm.

He easily pulls her hands away from him and stands back a few feet to be able to look down at her. "When you … left that morning, that's when the other guys caught Levy. They'd taken her back to the Bone Cage—"

"Bone Cage? What does that mean?" she asks frantic.

"Ah, no, it's not a cage," he reassures panicked. Lucy's never seen Natsu nervous before, but he's also never seen her this pissed before, either. "It's the meeting hut in the Male Tribe. We just call it that sometimes. Anyways, Mas Ter and a lot of the other guys talked to Levy. She said she was here for you, but, you know, with the other guys having not met a female before, not really, they didn't want her wondering around the village or anything. She was going to be taken in by Gajeel but she got away on him. She left."

Lucy silently stares him down. "None of you harmed her?"

"I swear, we didn't. She was fine …" Natsu's voice fades out and she can tell that's not good.

"What?" she asks hard-edged.

"Okay, so, some of the guys didn't like her. Remember when I said they were arguing about something stupid a few days ago and that I go thrown into a tree because of it? Levy was that reason. I was trying to help her and Mas Ter threw a fit and chucked all of us out. —But on my life, she was not touched. She was completely fine. I mean, she got away, right? Not like someone cut off her leg or somethin' to keep her around."

"Natsu!"

"Sorry!"

She sighs exasperated. "I can't believe this …"

Yes, I can, Lucy thinks with a mental groan. It's whole-heartedly believable that someone from the Female Tribe came back for her. The thought had crossed her mind, and she honestly expected another wave of them to come for her, no matter if she didn't want that in order to keep them safe. Instead of rushing in like last time, the girls must have made a tactical plan and decided to send a single person in to kidnap Lucy back to her home village. Get in, get out, none of the other males had to know. Except they did, and Levy had to leave Lucy behind, having failed …

Such a thought surprisingly doesn't bother her as much as it should.

Natsu looks like he's going to have a panic attack waiting for her to speak again. She ends up making things worse for him when she half grins and half sneers. "At least Levy was smart enough to out-wit you guys. She always was good at observation and biding her time."

"Yeah …" he says small. She doesn't like the way his eyebrows scrunch together hard in wariness at what's going to come out of her next.

"Don't look so freaked out. I'm not about to cut your head off. I'm ... glad you told me," she sighs.

"I figured it would be better than to lie to you."

"Thanks. That is true."

"Are you …?" He cuts himself off.

"What?"

He makes a small humming noise in the back of his throat, eyes narrowing and the corner of his mouth jutting down in uncertainty. "Uh, well, forget it."

"It's obviously something if you wanted to try and ask me about it. ... Is it about me being here?"

"Sort of."

"If you're wondering if I'm disappointed that I couldn't leave that night with Levy, then, no, I'm not."

She hit the mark with that answer, as his eyes widen slightly and there's a catch in his chest when his breathing skips. "Really, you're not?" he asks.

"Surprisingly so. If you had asked me such a thing when I first got here, I would have said I'd leave with her in a heartbeat, but … now that's not true." She smiles gently to him, trying to show the sincerity in her answer that, though so much has happened in such a short life-time, she's not angry at him for anything. "I'm very grateful that you came for me. So much that you can't understand. I never thought that seeing you again would be such a saving-grace. I've been so stubborn all this time but I guess it took a knock to the head to have me admit that … being here with you, it's not that bad," she admits. "I miss my family; I don't think I'll ever get over that, but …"

She hesitates to say the last part that whispers in her head, especially when she looks up at Natsu and sees the anticipation lingering in the way he slightly leans towards her, as if pulled by some force due to her words. She thinks, 'I miss my family; I don't think I'll ever get over that, but being here isn't a bad thing. For the time being, that is'. Words like that would tell Natsu that though she willingly came back this time, she didn't plan to permanently stay. She never made a verbal promise that she would stay here for the rest of her life.

"Don't think so little of me," Lucky snickers, steering the topic to other things. "Being with you here is ... interesting. I'm not mad that Levy didn't take me away from that."

Natsu gives one hard chuckle, finally loosening up and returning back to his usual, smiling self.

But if she did have to permanently stay here, she guesses that wouldn't be so bad either.

* * *

**Authors Note:**

**As of July 2020, chapters 5, 6 and 7 were all posted at the same time. Later chapters have also been updated to corresponding to this arc. I honestly don't think anyone needs to re-read the rest. I might have changed a few scenes and even added little things here and there, but even if you didn't re-read the rest you wouldn't get confused. But if you want the full effect on Nalu's current relationship, go for it. **

**Otherwise, I put so much work into doing all of this. I updated everything. And I mean EVERYTHING. AO3, my promotional artwork, all these chapters and so forth. I would greatly appreciate it if those reading could review these last three chapters! It's encouraging to see those positive reviews! Thanks a lot!**

**Oh, one last thing. I know I should ignore this but, man, some fanfic readers can be so entitled, like they own my fanfic or something. Now that this arc is done, to everyone who's been questioning me and my writing decisions since day one, you can finally STFU.**


	8. From Me To You

**From Me To You**

* * *

Natsu has observed overtime that the way Lucy eats is different, too. Dainty and trying to keep the leftover blood off her fingers from the fresh kill. It reminds him of Freed, always aware of the stickiness that comes from drying blood and hating the feeling of it against the skin. She holds her deer leg by the tips of her fingers, digging her nails into the meat but keeping her palms off the dead animal leg. Her teeth hesitantly eat around the femur, keeping clear of the bone and checking consistently where she's putting her small mouth.

Things have finally calmed down between them. Since returning home with a sprained ankle, Lucy has dropped her walls and is finally connecting with him on a personal level. Change is taking place between them and trust is finally being forged. Natsu supposes it also helps to further connect their bond now that he has to touch her a lot more often. She can't press down on her bad ankle, so he has to help her get up and do things a lot of the time. He could practically carry her everywhere, she's that light weight, but Lucy finds that embarrassing, so he doesn't. The cut in her rib is doing fine, granted she has to eat Devil's Claw to keep the lingering pain away.

Being around this new Lucy is profound, so much so that, at times, it makes a new sensation in Natsu's gut start up. It's like falling but without hitting the ground. It makes him a little nervous being around her sometimes but it also has elation burst out of him.

Without having to put on a fake air of ease to try and trick him for whatever she wants, Lucy is a lot more relaxed. With her true personality coming out, Natsu is having a lot more fun being around her. Hearing her laughter and seeing a real smile on her face only solidifies his reasons that much more—that he can never give up this female he finds endearing. Beyond Lucy's sharp mind, she's got a caring nature and a fortitude that constantly gets him cackling. She's a surprise to him at every turn and since returning has changed his life in ways he wasn't expecting. He never once gave thought to the fact that he had cooked meat next to raw meat and she's been trying to get him to bathe more often, as it's been almost a week since his last one, but he continues to not see the point.

The only concerning aspect left between them is when the Big Igny goes down. Lucy has a hard time falling asleep, not on most nights but it's often enough that it bothers Natsu. That is until sleep wins and he blacks out. The urge to escape has left her and has been replaced with more somber thoughts that keep her awake. Rather, a sort of ... sad acceptance. Natsu isn't sure what she's thinking, keeping to herself even when asked if she's okay, but he figures to let her be, like she wants. Her sadness probably has something to do with Levy ...

With his body sedated of physical hunger, Natsu moves on to satisfying the magical energy running low in his veins. Reaching into the Igny, he grabs the non-burnt end of a stick and takes it out with the tip of it still burning. He chows down on the Igny flickering there, chewing on the flavorful flames that salivate in his mouth. Being made with pine wood that snaps and pops with heated sap, the flame has a tart taste to it that spreads on the tongue.

Lucy stares at him with disturbingly wide eyes, almost like she's petrified. "I've been holding off asking you this, but what _is_ that?"

"Is what?" he asks, unfazed by her shock.

"You eating Igny! I can't believe you can do that."

"That's a weird question. I just eat this stuff, you know? If I don't, I can't make my own Igny. Also, it tastes good."

"It's just abnormal. I don't know why you would have to do such a thing to replenish your magic in the first place. Nobody else I known has to do that. "

He shrugs. "I would offer you some but you'd burn yourself. Anyway, are you done eating? Females sure don't have big stomachs."

"I ate a lot, thank you." She takes a deep breath and brings herself back around, getting over Natsu's odd sense of taste. "The animals here are different tasting but in a good way. Back home, the deer are much fuzzier, antlers more like how a moose is. This is a little sweeter but tastes great after roasting it over an Igny."

Hearing of Lucy's old home life captures Natsu's attention and makes him smile. She's willing to share what her way of life was like before coming here.

"I still say fish is better," Happy purrs. He chews on the head of his breakfast, having no trouble eating past the scales and bones.

His chest puffs out and he waves the flaming stick he eats. "I've mastered Igny easily."

"I have to admit that's one nice thing about living here," she smiles amused.

"Seriously, why don't you come with me on this next hunt? It's been a while since you've done that with me. You can choose what to kill for the day's meal," he says around a mouth full of Igny.

"I can't yet. My ankle is better but not_ that_ good. I can make traps for you though. Also find berries, nuts and other fruits when I get better. I can take down larger animals, too, but that's only with a bow."

He pauses. "Can you take on a cave bear?"

Her jaw slacks. "Uh, no, nothing that big."

Though unspoken, a part of Natsu is oddly happy that Lucy can't fend off such a large animal. Although he knows for sure that he would never want her to be in harm's way ever again, it would be a great opportunity if a cave bear _did_ come along to show how reliable he can be, fighting off such an easily enraged animal. Her statement also tells him how weak she really is if she can't take down a grizzly. Being able to kill an uncountable animal like a cave bear is a rite of passage for the Male Tribe. When males reach a certain age, to show that their ready for adult hood and to not be treated like a child any longer, a cave bear is considered the forefront animal to kill. Being able to take down a thing like that on your own shows the strength and determination needed to take on life's challenges.

"Eh, don't worry. I can do that for you if one ever comes along," Natsu reassures. He throws the dry stick back into the Igny pit, having eaten all of its flames and leaving the embers behind, not wanting to lick burnt bark with it. The stick settles back into the ash and flames with crackles of sap popping.

Happy eats the rest of his fish before chuckling. "I'm glad you can forage for berries without trouble, Lucy. This poor guy doesn't know the difference between a black berry and a nightmare berry that will send him running for the bushes—"

"Hey! That only happened _once_," Natsu protests.

"Once during the spring and once during the winter of last year, sure."

Picking up the cat by the scruff of his fur, he lightly throws his friend towards the skin hide door. As expected, Happy brings out his wings and saves himself from crashing to the ground with a gleeful laugh at having successfully teased his friend.

He crosses his arms. "Get out of here, Happy. I want to talk to Lucy about somethin'."

"Aw, come on. Lucy, you want me around, don't you?" he asks as if saddened.

"Maybe you should listen to Natsu. He seems serious about this," she says.

Happy hovers by her head, lightly patting the golden locks of her hair. "Alright, fine, but don't do anything I wouldn't." He ducks low to fly under the buffalo hide and out into the daylight.

Natsu has never seen Happy be smitten by another person before unlike with Lucy. Happy always took to her but now that she's opened up enough, she's also taken to him, like a bee to a flower. The two can start a conversation with the thinness of air between them to carry it out and somehow end up laughing at their banter. She treats the male with a gentle fondness, a natural instinct to have something as small as Happy be content in life. It's different compared to how she treats Natsu, not surprising considering he and Lucy will have something Happy could never accomplish. It's their interactions as humans that bring them much closer together.

Having watched the cat leave, Lucy turns back towards Natsu to presumably ask him a question but it dies on her tongue. Coming to find out that despite his size Natsu is much stealthier than most people realize, having mastered the art of sneaking up behind unsuspecting prey and catching them off guard, it allows him to be inches apart from her without her realizing it. He can see the wavering in the color of her clear eyes, lighter brown like cocoa towards the edges and hazing into dark earth on a rainy day near the pupil.

When she twitches from his sudden appearance, he gently grabs her upper arm. His hold is light; she could escape from him without struggling if she wanted to. That hold also tells of another story. How he wants her to never be afraid of him and that it's okay to be this close to one another without the need for some kind of help. To be close for the sake of being close, as with kin comfortable and content with one another.

"What are you doing?" Lucy asks quiet.

"I'm looking," he says simply.

"At … what?"

"You obviously."

"But you've seen me lots of times before ..."

He shakes his head. "I've been starin' at you since you got here and while I've gotten used to how you look ... Your cheeks run with more blood than me. You have a smaller nose and pinker lips. You are like me but different at the same. I've been trying to figure you out, but the more I look at you, the stranger things get."

"No need to be so blunt," she pouts.

Lucy softly ducks her head and turns her eyes away. It makes Natsu notice how much longer her eyelashes are, creating long shadows against her rosy cheeks. Her pulse jumps against her pale throat and her changing scent of nervousness brushes under his nose. It's not a bad kind of nervousness though, as after years of coming to distinguish different scents, he knows there is a type of good anticipation in her nerves. Her shy expression says something to him, innocence and a need to make sure she's cared for however possible. Everything about her urges for him to take care of her. In the same way its instinct for him to survive, a new voice is starting to find its place within him because of Lucy, one that he doesn't fully understand. Yet, sometimes, instinct isn't meant to be understood but simply done.

"I ... wanna know what you see. What do I look like to you?" Natsu asks serious, letting her arm go.

Hesitantly, Lucy's eyes come back to his. "You are … sturdy in shape. I see someone who is strong. I don't think I've seen anyone with muscles like you have." Her eyes wonder to his open vest and her stare makes that falling sensation return to his stomach. He's never been concerned before with someone else's opinion of him. "Your eyes are sharp and your hair is very unique. Like a ripening strawberry. I see … scars, too. Can you tell me how you got those?"

Natsu talks with a hint of pride about his scars, as marks like that always tell of victories over past obstacles. "Ah, well, the one on my neck I don't remember how I got. The one by my hip I gained from a battle with another male. Won that fight within an inch of my life but that bastard hasn't been around since."

Lucy reaches out tentatively, her movements obvious in the way that she's trying not to startle him, though that could never happen when he's always aware of her. Her fingers nuzzle along Natsu's jaw line, smoothing their tips down to his neck scar and caressing from there, pushing down his scaly scarf to give a gentle stroke. She traces the edges of the raised skin in thought, taking no heed of how his eyes widen in confusion at what she's doing. He wants to almost shiver under her touch but he snaps his spine still and continues hold back any sort of reaction.

If any of his brethren put a hand to his throat, he'd take it as a challenge. With Lucy, it brings about a vibrating force in his body. Why is it only her that makes him feel like this? What _is_ this feeling in the first place? He wants to be kept in the warmth of her hands. Her compelling scent sets him at ease in a way no other smell has done before. And these desires to keep her close—the most intense aspect of all—are something he's never felt before with anyone else. His determination to show Lucy that she's in capable hands is starting to become more then what Natsu initially thought. He still wants to prove that his promises are worth his life but he also wants to show that he's worthy of Lucy's companionship in a way that's ... different.

Damn, Natsu wishes he knew what was happening with him. Maybe this why Mas Ter warned him to not keep females around? They definitely have some sort of power over males, that much is obvious. Does Lucy feel the same when she's around him? Do the males hold some sort of power over the females and that's why their kind can't get along in harmony? She's always been kind of weird to him and he's never been good at reading the mood of a situation, so he can't tell worth a damn if she's affect by him, like he is with her.

Lucy says. "I suppose that's Natsu I'm seeing. You are uniquely you."

He tries to play off the curling of fierce emotions in his body, laughing with a big smile. "Duh, there could never be anyone else like me."

No, whatever these feelings are, they're not bad, Natsu decides. He's gone all of his life surviving on instinct alone, more so than the other member of his tribe after being raised for the first few years of his life by a dragon. This part of him that acts more animal then human at times is ingrained within his very self and therefore is something he can always trust. He knows that whatever he feels towards Lucy doesn't harbor any ill will, but he can't act upon them when her touch so easily breaks him down. Only this small female has brought about this timid side to him. Beyond the confusion from all of this happening, it can be extremely annoying. Maybe he'll ask Lucy some other time about what's happening to him.

Natsu relaxes when Lucy removes her hand from him, sighing a little. "I guess I'm seeing Lucy, also," he grins. "I've never heard of females until you came along."

"Seems we have a lot to learn about one another," she amends.

* * *

**XxXxXxX**

* * *

The elk are towards the flatter lands down the mountains, a ways off from Natsu's territory. While their fur is the best for insulation against the cold, he can't risk being away for long just to get a nice pelt. After elk, sheep skin could work equally as good, their wool luxurious and fluffy. Yet the only sheep around are the ones kept for the Male Tribe, used for their wool, meat and grass trimming skills. His brethren would skin his own hide faster than a rabid dog if he tried to sheer one of their own livestock out of the blue. He's got to figure something else out before the cold season sets in, as it takes some time to cure a fur hide. Lucy came to him only in her summer garb, and while Natsu doesn't mind sharing furs with her, she suddenly telling him that she would rather have her own hides that fit properly.

"What are you thinking hard about?" Happy asks.

Surrounded by pines that are beginning to drop their needles, Natsu comes out of his stupor from the cat's voice. His eyes focus back on Lucy as she gathers berries and herbs in a woven basket, a triumphant smile gracing her face from her easy success.

"I'm thinkin' about getting Lucy some furs. She'd like that," Natsu says.

"Oh, that's a great idea!" Happy flies back to her side and hovers above. "Natsu's going to make you a pelt."

"Really?" She turns to him in glee, calling out her enthusiasm and saying thanks.

"That was going to be a surprise, Happy!" Natsu says annoyed.

The cat snickers at his antics.

He suddenly hears the sound of an animal squealing, small and in a panic. Knowing the cause of such a noise, he jogs to where the sound came from and finds a rabbit caught in one of Lucy's traps, hanging upside down by it's long foot. Lucy sure can be cunning when it comes to using the land to her advantage. The traps she's set have even caught him a few times, hidden beneath leaves and bushes to the point of invisibility.

Natsu ends the animals life quickly, not wanting it to suffer, and uses a sharpened rock to cut the rabbits throat. Once it stops moving, he takes it down from the trap and sets it aside, preparing to re-set the trap. Lucy tried to show him how but the routine of doing it was too boring for him to fully pay attention to. Plus, hunting on foot is better. After failing a few times to re-set the trap, having the rope snap back him and almost hit in the face at some point, Natsu snorts and gives up frustrated. With dull interest, he turns his head and spots two more rabbits.

Setting the dead rabbit aside, he quietly encroaches in on the pair and balances his weight on the balls of his feet. He holds as still as possible and crouches behind the cover of a bush. He quizzically watches the rabbits, as for once he's not interested in hunting down the delicate animals. Seeing the way these rabbits groom, cuddle and nuzzle noses against one another gets him thinking. It's obvious how to tell a human female apart, being that they have large chests and curvier bodies, but how is he supposed to tell these two identical white rabbits apart?

With the constant worry of Lucy and her once foul mood no longer weighing him down, Natsu figures it's high time to find out what a female _really_ is. He could technically ask Lucy a few things, which he eventually plans to do, but he's watched her enough all this time that he feels like a lot of his curiosity about her kind has been answered. Despite this, he has continued to learn the ways of the female by not only watching her but by seeing the way animals interact. If there are female humans then there are female animals, a revelation Natsu never thought of before. One way to learn about females is through nature itself, after all.

The white rabbit on the left rubs its small paw across the tops of its head, flattening its large ears and closing its eyes happily. Maybe that's the male because it's a little bigger than the rabbit to the right? When the fatter rabbit turns around, he finds a spot of black on its rump in the shape of a heart.

Come on, do something. These things are cute but they sure are slow animals. They continue to eat grass for a long enough time that Natsu's about to get back up and go to Lucy. But then the rabbit with the black heart on its backside gets behind the other rabbit and tries to climb on top of it.

What the—? Are they fighting? He isn't entirely sure what's happening, watching the spotted rabbit convulse its hips on top of the other rabbit. Is it dying?

A male voice calls out from the distance. "Hey, you guys here?" It's a deep tone belonging to Gajeel. "Hey, dork!"

Natsu would normally call back, ready to slap an insult back at Gajeel for calling him a dork, but hearing that voice in the middle of these open woods makes the center of his gut clench.

Despite not having met her yet, most of the males have come to accept Lucy. They know she'll come around to the tribe eventually and are even looking forward to seeing this aloof tribal member. After witnessing how Natsu was willing to fight the most intimidating boy of the tribe, all to defend a single woman, it peaked their interests in a good way. They've all gone quiet about the "calamity" she could possibly bring ever since Laxus tried to have things go his way. Lucy is welcomed now, but Natsu still remembers those few males that quietly agreed with Laxus's way of thinking. Natsu isn't sure if they still think that way but he's sure that no one will try to actually harm Lucy—accept for Laxus. He's going to have to keep a lock on him when she goes to the village, but that doesn't matter at the moment. Not when he'll burn anyone's hides down to the bone if they try anything towards Lucy. On top of that, almost all of the males of the tribe will defend Lucy, as well, he's sure of it. They've seen how important she is to Natsu, and if it's important to him, it's important to them. That's how deep the bonds between him and the tribe go.

The problem about Gajeel being out here is how Lucy still sees the Male Tribe. It continues to be a place that she not comfortable getting near. She says she needs more time to prepare before going back to "that chaos". She says she wants to figure out Natsu before examining the other males, finding that she's a very curious creature that is always on the search for answers. In a sense, Natsu does figure that being looked at like food would leave a bad impression on Lucy.

Shit, but why is Gajeel all the way out here? Natsu thinks. Ever since Levy escaped, he's been in a horrible mood and Natsu isn't looking forward to dealing with this dragon that's been taking its anger out on him. Whenever he goes into the village as of late, all that he gets out of Gajeel are harsh scowls and raging jealousy brightening his eyes. Probably jealous that Levy got away while Natsu's female is willingly staying around. That's not Natsu's fault, so he doesn't get Gajeel's shitty attitude.

Natsu quickly snaps to a stand, scaring away the rabbits into the bushes. He checks on Lucy, smelling her on the wind and finding that she hasn't gone far from where she was last time. Gajeel is close and coming their way, his own dragon sense of smell telling him which direction to go. Natsu knew it was only a matter of time until one of the guys came stalking around for Lucy, and while he wouldn't actually mind if Lucy met his friends, Natsu knows she's not ready for it. And Gajeel of all people. He'll scare her shitless. Seeing another male right now as she's slowly accepting her new home isn't going to go well, he's sure of that.

Natsu discards his kill and runs to where Lucy was last, trying to keep his steps light to begin the hunt.

"I think I have enough blue berries but I wasn't able to find—" Before she can finish her sentence, he urgently grabs her by the upper arm and hauls up from the ground. Her ankle is much better than before and while she can put some pressure on it, she's taken to being cautious and doesn't put too much weight in her walk when she can. She drops her basket of berries, sending it clattering to the ground and most likely giving signal to Gajeel where they are, being that his hearing is just as good as Natsu's.

Cut deep into the trunk of an old oak tree, a narrow opening in the wood creates the perfect hiding spot for them. Natsu pushes Lucy into the hole firstly.

"Hey, what's happening?" she asks surprised.

"Happy, can you distract Gajeel?" he asks quickly.

Flying above them with a confused state but a complying nod, Happy says. "Aye, sir! I'll do what I can. But what for?"

"Lucy isn't ready to meet another male yet, so get Gajeel out of here."

"Sure, sure, if she wants to play hide and seek then I'll play along."

They stuff together in the tree trunk, rubbing into dry wood and a deepening darkness. Little pits in the trunk tell of termites that once took home in the tree, hence its slow demise, and luckily that has made the wood soft against the skin. They press front-to-front together, the space tight enough that it makes it hard to breathe, thighs pressing close and feet tangling. It doesn't help that Lucy's large chest takes up most of the space, pushing up like inflated bags against Natsu. For a split second, a part of him is excited to have this part of Lucy be close to him once again but those thoughts are quickly overshadowed when a gravely tone reaches his ears.

"Happy, have you seen the Igny dork anywhere?" Gajeel asks. He raises an eyebrow of studded Metalicana to the basket of berries left behind, its contents scattered to the forest floor.

Natsu narrows his sharp eyes, focusing out of the small opening of the tree trunk to watch his friend. Gajeel shouldn't be able to sniff them out, the smell of the rotting bark and oak leaves burning in the Big Igny should overpower their own scents, stuffed inside this air-tight hole as they are. Natsu about chokes on his breath when Gajeel looks his way but it's only for a split second, the fellow dragon slayer looking only vaguely at the tree with no intent of searching for humans. Despite Natsu being able to see clearly out of the opening, Gajeel can't see into the darkness of the trunks hallow trunk.

Luckily, Happy quickly comes to the distraction to keep Gajeel off their trail. "Last I saw him he was in a hurry. Off to the river, I think. Along with Lucy."

Gajeel snorts. "If he's at the river that must mean he's finally going to get rid of those parasites of his."

Natsu mashes his teeth. He does not have parasites!

"I'm going to go and see him. Mas Ter wants to talk with that female he's keeping and he fucking chose me out of everyone to go fetch her. Guess while I'm here I'll see if Natsu's been bewitched or done somethin' stupid."

"Too late for that," Happy chuckles.

They talk for a little longer—hurry up and get out of here!—going agonizingly slow as they inch towards the river beyond a thicket of trees.

* * *

**XxXxXxX**

* * *

"Natsu, what are you—!"

"Shh, stay quiet," he whispers against her ear.

Lucy desperately wants to scream due to the way his voice makes her shiver. She isn't prepared for this! In all this time, she hasn't gotten anywhere _near_ this close to Natsu and now all of sudden she's become like a second skin against him. What is going on? Why won't he let her talk? Why did he insist on shoving them together in this tree trunk?

She made a plan of action after returning home from her failed escape attempt. She did observe Natsu in mild-contempt for a while when she was first brought here, but she's decided it was time to get serious about the male species. When she eventually got comfortable enough with his presence, she wanted to know about the hard plains of his body by touch, to memorize every curve, divot and roll of male anatomy like any human with some intelligence would. She would then slowly gain confidence in both herself and in Natsu to eventually get to know his Sacred Rod, the thing that truly separates them from male to female. Lucy wanted to take her time in getting to know the make of his body.

Half of those steps feel as if they've has been thrown to the wind.

Natsu's toned chest presses firmly against hers, making it impossible to get her mind off of anything else but the way he feels against her. He really is made of muscle, those hardened parts of his body rubbing against the softer skin of her stomach, down to her hips and having their legs tangle together. She keeps her hands gripping the animal pelt covering his broad shoulders, trying to find purchase in this maddening situation he's pushed them into. His arms wrap around her waist and his hands rest gently against the small of her back, pulling her close to him to support some of her weight to make sure her ankle doesn't hurt. Thankfully, the cut in her side isn't being touched by his arm, although it does ache from being stuck with little room to move.

It's a good thing his face is turned away from her, staring out into the bright light of the open forest through the small opening of the hollow tree trunk, because Lucy wouldn't be able to live it down if he saw how bright red her face is. The tips of her ears burn, the air itself has become much too hot to breathe comfortably—whether that's because of the tight space or because of Natsu's affinity for Igny, she's not sure. The sweltering warmth of their bodies coming together is unlike anything she's felt before. She embarrassingly sweats against him, having her skin cling to him and making it that much more difficult to properly move.

What else is she supposed to do but give in to what's happening? Especially when her heart beats at such a rapid rate she can hear it in her ears, almost as if it's taking some last desperate attempts to keep beating before dying out.

Speaking of dying, she was expecting Natsu's Sacred Rod to stab her fatally, being that it does have enough strength to scare away her tribe's second-in-command, Erza. In fact, despite being close enough to feel every contour of his body; Lucy doesn't feel much of anything where his Scared Rod should be besides a bump that sits below her belly button. Males sure are confusing creatures. Where could Natsu's Sacred Rod have gone to? Hiding away, maybe, when there's no action to be taken upon?

He leans to the side a little, looking further out of the crack in the hollow tree to watch something. He doesn't seem to mind in the least what's happening between them, no sweat comes from his body when he's used to the sweltering heat of Igny and he gives no twitches of discomfort to try and gain some space between them.

That's when Lucy's hearing opens up past the blood in her ears. A very deep voice, like that of the devil finding its tongue, startles her into freezing against Natsu. It's another male from the sound of the baritone, large, foreboding and a threat. Suddenly she understands why she was shoved into this hiding spot. Natsu is protecting her.

She's been told that the male tribal members aren't bad people but that she should avoid them for now until they've calm down. It's their excitement that makes Lucy uncertain of the other males, fearing that their curiosity could turn into aggression at any moment due to not understanding what she is. When she first got sight of the other males, tied upside down to a stick and up on display in the middle of the tribe, most seemed to not care for her, others tried to challenge her for unknown reasons and some thought she wouldn't make too good of a meal. She remembers most of them having that same rock-hard build like Natsu, a frightful sight to her when she knows it would be impossible to fight them off if they chose to attack in a group.

With Natsu being the only male that Lucy can trust right now, she doesn't question at this point in time if this male outside of their hiding spot has good intentions or not. She doesn't want to be stalked like some animal and she debates about confronting the male. That idea is quickly shot down when a wave of uncontrollable fear makes her hands clenches Natsu's pelt. She's more anxious of these other males then she wants to admit to her usually confident self. She would eventually like to get to know the other males, because the more information she can take back the Female Tribe the better, certain she'll make another escape attempt in the future, but she'll have to wait a little longer for that. When she knows for sure that none of the males mean her harm, things can move forward. She supposes she did get lucky and got the nicest male out of the bunch to huddle up with.

Lucy gently presses her forehead into Natsu's scarf, burrowing the tip of her nose into the fabric that smells like him, that of soothing forest and burnt ash. It's a smell she's beginning to associate with the comfort of a full belly and a sturdy roof over her head. It's what she had in the Female Tribe, but there's a different type of comfort when it's done with this boy. Lucy declaws her fingers from his pelt and is able to move her hands down to rest against his upper chest, feeling Natsu's heart thumping under her fingertips. His skin is so smooth but tight at the same time.

Natsu sighs quietly. "I think he's gone."

"Who was it?" she asks worried.

"His name is Gajeel. I'm pretty sure he means you no harm but he's not very good when it comes to ... interacting with people. Meeting him is like meeting a monster with a melted heart. It seems Mas Ter wants to summon me." Lucy can feel his face come back around to look down at the top of her head, his chin brushing against her hair. "I didn't think you'd want to meet another male, so that's why I pushed you in here. But you could always meet Gajeel, if you want to."

She quickly shakes her head. "No, he doesn't sound very nice. Maybe some other time."

"That's okay. Do you want to make a run for it back to the hut for the night?"

She nods in agreement to that. She definitely doesn't want Natsu out of her sight for the night with another male out on the prowl close to his territory.

She lifts her head to try and read his face, to see that glimmer of a promise in his eyes to protect her, but due to the tightness of the hollow tree trunk there's no room for their breath to find space.

Her mouth brushes against his.

It's a ghost of a touch but the warmth of his lips is unmistakable, her own mouth pulling open slightly to gasp from the sensation. Natsu's mouth drops open in surprise, having their lips overlap and their front teeth touch slightly, a wetness being shared between them. His hands squeeze her hips tightly, unconsciously bringing her a little closer to him, close enough to have their noses bump. A spark of electricity snaps between them and her chest heaves against his. Something heavy begins to hover in the air, a thickness like fog and wetter then the rain.

Lucy quickly ducks her head, thumping her forehead into his shoulder and closing her eyes. "Ah, sorry, sorry!" she says.

The sound made when their lips parted! A suction of flesh coming apart. Oh, Goddess, what is this?

Natsu squirms and clears his throat. "It's fine. Don't know what that was, anyway ..."

They both silently agree it's time to get out of the hollow trunk, struggling against one another to get out at the same time. Having become highly aware of Natsu's body, every move of muscle and shift of his scent encased in such a confined, hot space makes Lucy all the more desperate to get away. Skin scraps against deteriorated bark and arms bash against body parts. At one point, Natsu accidentally knocks an arm into the cut at her side and Lucy has to hold her breath, not wanting to indicate how much that hurt. They escape with gasps of fresh air. She hobbles away from him to get some air, resting most of her weight on her good ankle and holding back from gripping her rib.

Natsu rubs his hand against the back of his neck and looks to the ground. "Forget the berries, just get your basket."

Lucy's starting to panic, not because of what happened but because of what touching his lips did to the pace of her heart. Before, it's always fluttered wildly like a humming bird but as soon as their lips came together it changed. The humming bird morphed into an untamable lion, roaring in her chest and powerful enough in its demands to be heard that she almost wants to scream. These things that Natsu does to her heart are coming on more frequently and steadily getting worse, but she still doesn't understand _why_. She knows that normally whenever he does something kind, gives that easy-going smile and makes her laugh to the point of a rib threatening to crack, that she finds it harder to keep a steady rhythm to her heart. Lucy soars at his caring gestures, that much is obvious, but why would a simply touching his mouth give her such a strong reaction?

Subtly looking at Natsu, it makes the roaring in her heart steadily be swept away into something sweet, bashful almost. It also helps that she's been given room to breath. There's a tenderness that spreads out from her very soul and whispers that what happened is endearing, that she should return to it ... somehow.

So what they did … it's supposed to be pleasant, it seems.

* * *

**Authors Notes:**

***Slaps roof of fanfiction***

**"This baby can fit so many tropes!"**

**Please, leave a review for the chapter! I'll update again as soon as I can.**


	9. Cyssan

**Cyssan**

* * *

"I think you should leave Mas Ter alone," Happy advises. "Who cares if he doesn't like Lucy? You're the one that found her—you get to keep her."

"I told him that before but I don't think he gets it," Natsu frowns.

Walking through the heart of the tribe, the male's don't bother to rag on Natsu any longer, having gotten their fun out of him concerning Lucy. By this point, they've found that teasing him had become rather boring, not when he's gotten used to their mouths and refuses to entice a reaction anymore. Many of the men return home after working hard with roughened muscles and aching backs in the fields, tending to the unwanted weeds and making sure that the tomatoes are growing ripe red. Some gather outside trading huts, chewing dried meat and talking about mundane things. Others continue to put hard work into maintaining the village, like Macao and Romeo, who carry heavy spruce wood in preparation for the torches that are lit at night around the village for those wondering in the dark of night.

On their way to see Mas Ter, as he can't avoid the old man forever, Natsu steels his stubbornness to tell Mas Ter that he can piss off if he doesn't like Lucy. She hasn't done any harm and doesn't deserve his suspicion any longer. If Mas Ter sees Levy interfering in their affairs as an excuse to push Lucy out of the village, then he's mistaken.

Mas Ter's hut is located away from the village, the old man wanting to avoid the noise that comes with a village full of loud-mouthed men, rather living towards the northern side of the Male Tribe where the farm fields are. While he doesn't do any field work himself in his old age, Mas Ter says he likes the calm view and the smell of ripening crops towards the end of autumn. Natsu can smell the way the fresh corn stalks coat the air, giving off a nostalgic feeling and reminding him of summer days relaxing by the river when he was younger. As of now, the farm lands have been abandoned of people, the bright green of the trees behind the fields creating an outline for the dusty soil. Next to the long rows of corn are tomatoes, their vines held up by sticks stuck into the ground that they cling to, longingly reaching for the fullness of the Big Igny. Towards the other side of the fields are cauliflower, spinach and an assortment of other food that Natsu isn't too fond of. He'd rather eat animal meat. The cicada's cry out to the sky, the sound of summer hitting it's peak and soon to end.

It takes Natsu a moment to notice when Happy falls behind, normally hearing his wings flapping nearby. Walking beside the corn fields, he raises an eyebrow at his friend's weird behavior, finding Happy floating to a stop and staring directly into the rows of corn.

"What's up, Bud?" Natsu calls.

"I thought I saw something," he says slowly in confusion.

"It's probably a bore."

"No, boars don't come this close to the village. And it was white!"

He shrugs and places his arms behind his head, slowly turning towards Mas Ter's home that's not too far ahead. "Whatever. I'm going. Tell me later what you find."

Happy nods in answer and begins to calmly float into the corn, his wide eyes curious. Natsu swears he hears the scurrying of a startled animal and Happy's voice rise in surprise, but it's not quite the right tone, higher pitched than normal. He doesn't worry, knowing Happy can handle himself.

Having the largest hut in the Male Tribe, Mas Ter's home showcases ranking and privilege among the men, decorated with bones, lush furs and beads that are strung along the animal skin walls. At the top of the hut is a hole where smoke exits from, the design unique to the male tribe leader. The outside is elegant and well maintained by the other males who are more than happy to help their elder tribe leader when needed, although Natsu knows that Mas Ter plays up his age to get out of doing chores like the lazy-ass he can be. Inside the hut is another story.

Geez, the old guy is messier then I am, Natsu thinks in surprise. Animal skins flattened to thin strips are scattered about on the floor and a small cup of blood used to write on the skins is spilled over next to the papers, destroying an entire sheet in the process. Spices ferment in bags and furs hang from hooks on the curved ceiling. An assortment of other items that keep the village in order are strewn about, showing a man with horrible organization skills but a dedication to his people.

"This way, stupid boy," Mas Ter calls apathetically from his seat on the floor. The large Igny pit he sits before splendidly heats the place, its uncomfortable heat nothing to Natsu but much needed for an old man with slow moving blood.

Natsu snorts. "If you're going to be an ass then I'm going to leave."

"Eh, after the calamity you brought to this place, I think I earned the right to call you that at least once. Toughen up. After all, you're the newest Brave this village has seen in a long time." The lines around Mas Ter's mouth and the wrinkles on his forehead tighten with his grin. That frisky look also tells that he has something specific he wants to talk about and he's trying to sugar coat it for now.

Natsu cautiously sits across from Mas Ter on a large moose pelt. "I heard from Gajeel's hollering that you've been lookin' for me."

"Ah, and here Gajeel told me that all of his searches come up empty handed."

His skin bristles. "Spit it out. I can guess what you want from me and Lucy."

The old man's bone necklace clashes against his thin chest when he turns to the boy. "Learn to speak to your elders a little nicer, you cur. You've brought nothing but trouble since you strolled into the village, after that dragon of yours left, and you haven't learned a single thing when it comes to manners since."

"Lucy isn't any trouble," he insists, hearing Mas Ter's double-edged meaning. "If this is about her, then forget it. She's mine and I'm not giving her up. Besides that, she's a great helper. I don't get why you think she's such a bad human."

"I'm sure she is a good girl and I won't dispute your claim over her."

He mutters annoyed. "Then don't act so stupid."

Mas Ter slaps a thin thigh to get the conversation back on track. The clay cup beside him rattles on the floor but doesn't tip from his quick movement. "As I said before, females have been the bane of man for centuries. They have conquered land and sea in easy success. They are a foe to beware of, if not befriended. After what happened with Levy ..." He fades off and scoffs at whatever he's thinking about, leaving Natsu clueless.

"Why didn't you try and be friends with the females if you knew about them in the first place?" Natsu asks.

"We were on good terms long ago, when the tribes were small. Times have changed and I've grown too old to try and mess with such a thing. I was originally hoping to avoid the trouble but it can't be helped now, thanks to you." Mas Ter takes a long drink of crush grape juice mixed with mead, a mixture he calls wine, and coughs slightly at the sting of too much alcohol in his shriveled throat. He goes on with a croak in his voice. "I was surprised when the females didn't return for war after Levy's escape, but perhaps she saw some good in us and told the other females about it. I heard that Lucy hasn't been feeling well, hurt herself, was it, so I figured I'd wait a little while."

"For what?"

"To see if an army of females would come back, firstly. I was hoping they wouldn't. That's why I didn't gather the boys in preparation. Why I didn't call on you."

"I don't know why we gotta deal with the females," Natsu snorts. "So what if I took one in. That doesn't mean we suddenly_ all_ have to have one."

"It's not about ownership, you dumb boy. You don't think of Lucy as an animal." He sighs and downs the last of his wine. "I want to give you a story, since you refuse to give the female up. There are many things we are alike in, us males and females, but so many things we differ in. I only wish to confirm something you might be feeling when it comes to this Lucy girl." The smirk he gives is concerning to Natsu. "Does being around that girl make you want to chase her?"

"I've chased after a couple of times already, since she doesn't know how to hold still."

"Ah, puberty always hits hard …"

"Huh?"

"Nothing."

The old man tells Natsu about meeting his first female. It was back when he was the Brave of the tribe, young with youthful skin and energy that could let him climb a mountain. The female he found was a beauty, Mas Ter says, having hair lighter than a blushed rose and always wearing magnificent pins in those lush locks. Named Porlyusica, she was pure as a midnight moon and as stubborn as a cow. Mas Ter had never found himself as interested in another human as he did with that woman, coming to find out what it means to truly put someone else's well-being before your own. It was an intense sensation Mas Ter hasn't felt since, as taking care of the tribe is one thing but watching that female simply smile at him was something else entirely. And now he asks if it's the same thing Natsu feels towards Lucy.

Said boy looks to one of his hands, bearing scratches on the palm and dirt coating the skin. In comparison to Lucy's soft features, Natsu can't help but think how contrasting they are from one another. He snorts lightly at the thought and comes back around with a smile. "I like being around Lucy. She's kind and smart. She's really important to me." He pauses. "Sometimes, when she looks at me, I want to vomit."

Mas Ter cough's out a laugh. "That's good to hear! I'm sure if you're won her favor then she's worth the keep. But don't keep her cooped up in that funny-smellin' hut of yours day in and day out. You'll only drive her buck wild."

"I'll keep that in mind …"

He takes a long drink of wine before giving a large sigh. "I'm sure there's nothing I can't tell you about females that Lucy can't tell you in better detail. Have you two been open to one another?"

He smiles proud. "Yeah, she's super neat. She can do this thing with—"

"I don't need to hear your pride like she's some common house cat. I _mean_, has she explained to you what she really is? How her tribe differed from us? How she works with the world when she's nothing like us?"

"... She's told me a little."

"Keep communicating. You'll get to understanding one another over time. Who knows, I might get to see a baby for the first time in over fifty years."

Natsu frowns, not understanding what he means. What's a baby?

"Here's a bit of information. If you ever see small animals in the forest, little fawns, small foxes and delicate birds, following bigger animals—that being their mothers—then those little animals came about because a male and female came together—"

"Ah-ha, there are male and female animals!" he shouts eager. "I knew it. How can you tell them apart though? They all look too damn alike."

"Your smarter than most people give you credit for. Well, if you really must know how to tell them apart, the females are the ones that give life."

His shoulders slump. "You lost me again. So, they're the reason animals start off so small?"

Mas Ter explains how the young ones are called by many names—whelps, kits and babies and so on—an aspect that Natsu never took an interest in until now. He was aware of these baby things existing but he never questioned where they came from or what they necessarily were, simply knowing his whole life that they existed and would eventually get big. It seems that many of the males in the tribe never thought of such a thing either, considering it isn't a concern for anyone to talk about.

"How do you think Romeo came about?" Mas Ter asks. "He's not fully grown and he started off even smaller, as you remember. He was once a babe. You didn't question where he came from?"

"I never really thought about it."

He sighs disappointed. "You and everyone else. Although, I guess it's a good thing everyone took Romeo in as one of their own without question, but Romeo didn't come out of thin air. Macao once found a female to his liking and they got together. That's how Romeo was created and left in Macao's care."

Natsu's back straightens. "Macao knows about females?"

"Yup, though he avoids talking about his old flame since she left him. He once told me he didn't want to bother tellin' you guys about females because all they do it 'tear your heart out' or somethin' of that effect."

"I still don't get it. How does a guy and girl meeting make something smaller? The female is the one that gives life … But _how_? How does a girl …?"

"I'm not explaining any more than that, you fool." Mas Ter waves a paper-thin hand in dismissal. "No way on my life am I giving you the Birds and the Bee's talk right now."

"You're no help. What do bird and bees have to do with this?" he snorts.

"Nothing. Now, there is at least one thing I do want to warn you about. Make sure that if you and Lucy do get close, and I mean close in a way that it's like touching souls, that you come back to me. I'll give you that birdy-bee talk then, if you want to hear me out. I might not want to talk about this crap with you but I'm not going to let you go into battle totally blind either, if it comes down to that. There's some other stuff I gotta tell you about but maybe when you mature a little more."

"I'm plenty mature!"

"Says the boy who hadn't a clue what a female even was! Never-the-less, you seem to be falling for this girl, so make sure to treat her right."

He quiets down. "Falling for her?"

"Love is a strange thing—powerful and frightening but not something bad. I suppose you're going to go through some hard times but don't worry, they'll be worth it. And if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, then go to Gray for that 'cause I ain't helpin' ya."

That's a confusing thing for Natsu to hear. Does he love Lucy? He supposes he must, since she's part of his family, but that doesn't sound right, either.

He grimaces and pretends to not react towards Mas Ter's words. He'd rather think this through on his own without Mas Ter's so called "advise" ringing in his head. "Like Lucy would make me cry, old man," he says.

"That's all I can tell you for today," Mas Ter says. "Get out of here. Oh, and tell Lucy I said hello. Bring her around next time you come to the village. I want to meet her and discuss a few things!"

Glad to leave, he heads out on the hunt with confusion keeping him company. They could have talked about the more important details, things Mas Ter seems to want to leave out in the blue for the moment, but he'll worry about those things later on. It's obvious they're going to have to meet back up with the Female Tribe at some point to discuss a peace treaty, which is a big pain-in-the-ass, as he would rather fist-fight his way into peace, so he might as well enjoy these summer days with his female while he can.

Is he really in love with Lucy?

Natsu loves is father, Igneel, and can only hope for his safe return. His brotherly kinship with his tribe can never be broken and he would do anything to keep this place he calls home safe. And Happy has been by his side since he came from that egg—an egg Natsu now realizes must have come from a female!—and he loves the little fur-ball with all he's got. Of course he cares deeply for Lucy. He wants to always ensure her happiness and to keep any tears away. That must be love if nothing else he feels for her.

It's not on the same level as the others in his life, he can tell that. The fascination he initially had for Lucy has steadily turned into a powerful fondness, capturing his attention in a way that's alarming. So he just likes her more intensely then the others in his life? He guesses he's allowed the play favorites, though Happy wouldn't like it if he heard that. Or maybe what he and Lucy have feels different because she's female?

Her prettiness is something Natsu noticed right way upon meeting her, even when he wasn't sure what she was. He saw how she gave off this unnerving attraction, a type of delicate flower he'd never seen before but knew right away that it was unique and highly valuable. From what he remembers of the other females that tried to take her away, Natsu thinks that Lucy is still the prettiest one among them. From the start he acknowledge that she had a strange sense of beauty to her but now, after what happened in the hollow tree trunk a few days ago, there's more to it. Watching the way she moves her body in graceful turns, that pout her lower lips gives when she's fussy or the way she has a tendency to stroke her fingers through her golden hair are all endearing actions that he notices all the time now. At first, he took his attraction to these little things as some kind of magic, but it's plain obvious when something is beautiful, no getting around that. Females are strange but very pretty creatures, and he's no fool as to not notice such a thing.

Natsu smiles with pride, thinking that such a pretty thing is a part of his family. The other males-like Gajeel-can bite him for it in jealousy.

There's also a little voice whispering in his head that he can't compare to Lucy. He took her in without much thought beyond simply wanting her but now he questions himself. Can he still stand beside her and not fall behind on their journey though life? He guesses it doesn't matter as long as Lucy likes being around him.

And beyond that, what does any of this matter? Natsu's gotten used to being around Lucy and it's become second-nature to expect his instincts to kick into overdrive by simply looking at her. It's okay to like her calming scent and to bask in her gentle touches ... it's nice to see her welcome him home. Love in itself is a frustrating and confusing emotion to think about, add into the fact how attractive Lucy is and things get too muddle to understand clearly. In the first-place, thinking is not Natsu's best forte. He'd rather keep doing what they've been doing and let it be. All these days of slowly getting comfortable with each other and coming to value her companionship have slipped into one giant moment for him, as summer has never come and gone this fast before.

Ignoring this hectic topic and going on the hunt, Natsu takes down an eight-point buck, a simple task despite not having a spear, used to the toss and tumble of battle against the king of the forest. When he got the animal by the horns, the battle had been won with a quick snap of it's neck. Natsu prides himself in the catch of a life-time. Lucy's sure to love this!

The deer is hauled over his shoulders and bleeding from its nostrils when he pauses on his way home. In the grove of a tree where the earth dips to form an underground home, he watches a pair of fox's bump muzzles. How come he's never noticed animals doing stuff like that before? From the rabbits, to the tricksters. Do all animals show such affection?

He balances the buck above his shoulders and kneels behind some thick bushes to silently watch the animals in their play. Bushy tails frolic, slinky bodies swiftly circle one another and little paws pad the ground. They're elegant animals until they open their mouths and sound like dying dogs. They go back to muzzle touching, a little peck against the mouth, a quick lick of the tongue against a fuzzy cheek.

It reminds Natsu of what happened in the hollow tree he and Lucy hide in when Gajeel came stalking around. She lifted her head and their mouths touched for a brief moment, giving him a heart-pounding headache and letting his breath catch—fuck it, the same rhythm wants to start back up from the thought of their encounter alone. Her mouth was extremely supple and the whisper of her breath floating over his skin made his flesh ripple with a shiver that he held back with all of his damn control.

The amount of heat she gave off! In all the time they've touched before, he didn't notice the warmth she had, as any heat source he's became numb to overtime because of his gift towards Igny, but after Lucy's mouth touched his, Natsu become sensitive to every inch of her body. How warm, smooth and squishy she really is. Her hips fitted under his hands like they were meant for him to hold and her chest pushing up against his reminded Natsu of sand, soft yet firm. In that moment, she gave off a particular scent that made his teeth grind in restraint, a musk behind her usual smell. He's still not sure what his reaction towards her meant but all he needs to know is that it felt good. He's tried recreating the same feeling since then, keeping close to her, practically sitting in her lap at one point, but despite being punched in the face by Lucy to get away from her, he didn't feel nearly as excited as he did before.

Watching the foxes, Natsu wonders if nuzzling mouths is only to be done by those with a certain type of bond. A kinship that means … what was the word Mas Ter used? Touching souls?

Ah, perhaps it means more than what Natsu thinks. Upon seeing three little fox kits come out of the nest, he eagerly realizes that the grown foxes have to be a male and female pair. At least visiting Mas Ter resulted in some sort of knowledgeable gain.

Nuzzling mouths must be a common gesture to do between male and females considering these animals, who go along in life by instinct and nature alone, figured it out long before man did. Natsu never thought of doing such a thing to another person, as the thought of touching a male's mouth makes him want to vomit, not literally but it's not pleasant to think about, hence he didn't realize mouth nuzzling was a thing before this. The thought of going back to Lucy …

Igneel told him little of what it means to find a significant other. A once in a life-time mate, the dragon called it, although he's not sure what the word 'mate' means. Shit, he can't remember if Igneel even told him if females existed. He probably did, but as a stupid kid there was no way he was going to pay attention to something like that.

Giving up an all of these insane things for now, as this itching in his brain will drive him nuts if he tries to think about it anymore, Natsu stands and carries his kill back to an awaiting Lucy. And when he gets back it's not a pleasant sight.

This little prick, Natsu thinks.

Kneeling in secrecy outside the skin hide of the doorway, Gray peeks around the opening to try and take a gander at Lucy who remains inside.

There's something about Gray stalking Lucy that pinches a nerve, a reminder yet again of how useless he can be. He didn't know about Levy searching for Lucy until she was caught by the other guys, and now Gray has gotten so close to home that he's at their doorstep. Natsu thinks about getting the upper hand and jumping the bastard to scare him off, wondering what his motives are—is Gray curious or is this some sort of test? Is he spying on Lucy for the other guys or was Mas Ter telling the truth and that Lucy is his to care for permanently?

Let's face it; Gray is most likely here out of confusion. Natsu might not agree with Ice Princess all the time but its hard not to understand someone when you've been around them for most of their life.

Natsu drops the dead buck harshly to the ground, the large smack of the carcass capturing Gray's attention. Ice Princess twitches harshly and jerks around to find an agitated dragon boy. He tries to play off being caught, standing up nonchalantly and placing an easy-going hand on his pelt covered hip.

"Hey, Flame Brain," Gray smirks.

He crosses his arms and sighs. "If you wanted to meet Lucy, you could have asked. Not like you had to sneak around."

"You've been keeping the female to yourself long enough that I wasn't sure if wanted others to meet her at all. I know you hoard things like a dragon but this is kind of ridiculous. All the guys think you've gone nuts and I think they're right, man."

"What I do with Lucy is none of your business. Anyway, it's not as if I have a say if she can or cannot have friends, you know."

"Then why hasn't she come to the village?" he challenges.

Natsu blatantly explains that since the other guys were acting weird upon seeing her, he didn't want them bombarding Lucy and scaring her off when males are such a new thing to her. Plus, their reaction to Levy is evident enough that a crowd will form the moment a female comes along. As of right now, that alone would terrify Lucy. Gray reluctantly agrees that it's something that would have happen, too, had Lucy been introduced sooner …

"Seriously, don't be such a creep," Natsu snorts light. "As long as you don't do something stupid to her, it's okay. I think Lucy's comfortable enough to meet you."

"I wouldn't do anything your thinking and you know it." His mouth slacks. "I hope you're not treating this female like a pet still."

"He doesn't," Lucy says scornful.

Having obviously heard their voices, she peeks past the buffalo hide and keeps narrowed, dagger like eyes on the unfamiliar male. She refuses to hide like a shrew in the fields but also doesn't push her luck, keeping to the inside safety of the hut. She grips the doorway and balances on the tips of her toes, perhaps prepared to make a mad dash out of the hut if Gray does anything she doesn't like. Seeing her balance on her bad ankle like that makes Natsu nod subtly to himself, satisfied that she's healed to the point where she can put some of her weight on it.

"Hey, Lucy! I brought home dinner!" he smirks, pocking at the dead buck with his foot. "You can come out. This guy's Gray. He might sound stupid but he's not as bad as he seems."

"Don't make me come over there and hurt you," he grimaces. Turning back to Lucy, Gray clears his throat and shows a kinder smile. "I'm glad you decided to come out. Trust me, I really don't mean you any harm. Natsu's overreacting."

"Weren't you the guy that said I didn't look like I'd taste good?" she asks. Why does it sound like she's insulted by that?

"Ah, yeah, that was me. Sorry about that, but you can't blame a guy. You were the first female I'd seen. How was I supposed to know you weren't a snack?"

"From looking at me …" she says bland. "Are you a friend of Natsu's?"

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," Natsu answer for him. "We've known each other for a long time."

Lucy keeps her eyes set on the black-haired male and the way she examines him sets Natsu's stomach knotting. He wants to make her stop looking at Gray in that same curious way she's eyed him before.

Natsu's been jealous many times in his life. Whenever one of the guys would be able to accomplish something with the flick of a wrist that took him pounds of strength to do. Whenever he thought he had the upper hand in bringing home the largest kill of the day only to be outdone. Once when the runt of the tribe, Romeo, light his first Igny he felt betrayed by the Matriarch of the world, no longer the lone male that could produce such treasured Igny. He knows this feeling of want, of possessiveness and desire, all too well. It's an ugly little thing that makes his temper rise and his Igny flare out of control.

He doesn't let that happen though, breathing slowly through his nostrils and pushing aside those feelings. He shouldn't be concerned over Gray being here enough to let that happen, being that Gray is no rival to him. He could scrap his hide any day without a challenge.

While Lucy is curious about Gray, she's cautious of his presence too, slowly inching out of the doorway but keeping close to home with a defensive posture. Natsu purses his lips, not liking her acting as such. She shouldn't have to worry about being in another male's presence while he's here to make sure everything goes right.

"You don't seem like a bad male," she says calmer.

"Good," Gray nods in approval. "Glad to finally meet you. Hope Flame Brain has been treating you nicely. He's a bit much."

Natsu sneers. "I've been treating her fine, jerk."

She gently let's go of the doorway when she finds no threat from the new male, coming further out by an inch. Her hand stays up as if reaching back for the doorway, perhaps uncertain about coming closer to this stranger. Natsu quickly goes to her side, stopping with his back facing her to act as a reassuring shield. She comes out of the hut to half-way hide behind him. The action of her relying on him for protection has his chest puff out in pride at her oblivious display of trust in_ this_ male.

Gray's head tilts to the side. "When I really look at you, you sure are pretty."

"Oh, thank you." She tucks some of her sunny hair behind an ear and smiles like a flower in the summer heat. She quietly says to Natsu, "I want to meet him, if that's okay. I want to get to know your species better."

"You don't need to ask me for such a thing. Go ahead," he says.

They ask each other simple questions, things Natsu already knows about Lucy and things he doesn't know about Gray. Lucy does that to people, your deepest secrete could become a simple whim of a tale within her soft presence. He watches the way her eyes are constantly on the move, as if jotting down little notes inside of her head about what she sees and hears. If she's comparing Gray to him, Natsu can only hope that he's the dominant male between the two of them.

The more they talk, the more relaxed Lucy becomes. She steps out of Natsu's shadow and feels comfortable with her curiosity being appeased to. It seems that she and Gray get along well, something he's surprisingly happy with, if not a touch of envy. Having his female become friends with another life-long friend makes him smile a little. But if she wants to go to the Male Tribe and meet the others … eh, the guys might have stopped teasing him but he's not sure yet if they have enough control for such a thing. In any event, talking with Gray _is_ a good step towards peaceful results between the males and Lucy.

"Your kind sure is funny," Gray comments. "Hey, what's the name of the female with light blue hair from your tribe? The other one that broke our dam."

"Oh, ah, that's Juvia. I think she took a liking to you from the way she was acting," Lucy chuckles, eventually fading out into a tone of shame. "Sorry about your dam ..."

"That's nothin'. We all worked on that for a while but it recently got it done." He looks out to the Big Igny that stands high above the tree line, going in and out between the fluffed-up clouds that slowly linger in the sky.

"If you want your own female, you're going to have to go and get her yourself, Ice Dick," Natsu smirks.

Gray's eyes widen and a slight blush graces his face. "That's none of your concern, Crotch Fire."

"I don't get how you two can be friends when you talk like that to one another," Lucy sighs.

Natsu scoffs in amusement. "Think of it as banter. We don't really mean it ... most of the time, anyway."

"Sorry, I suppose I_ should_ get going and leave it at this," Gray says. Natsu instantly knows what's about to happen as soon as Gray unconsciously reaches down for his pelt wrapping. Ice Princess strips of the pelt, tossing the heavy fur aside without thought and stands naked in all his glory. "I do have business to attend to before the Big Igny goes down, after all."

"Why did you get naked?!" Lucy screeches. She backs up and bumps into Natsu, scrambling to hide behind him and putting too much weight down on her bad ankle in the process. He grabs her by the arm to keep her from falling, but she remains occupied trying to shield herself from Gray's Sacred Rod and presses her forehead into Natsu's chest, smashing her eyes closed.

"Huh?" Gray looks down and chokes slightly on his gasp, somehow surprised that he's yet again naked. "When did I do that?"

"Just now," Natsu frowns.

Gray doesn't move to cover himself. He's so used to getting naked and being around other people that are used to his nakedness that he doesn't realize that there's someone else here who isn't used to it and isn't male like him. Honestly, Lucy's reaction is hilarious and it's hard for Natsu to hold back his laughter. So what if a dick is out? It's not like it's furious at her presence. If it was, he would be chasing Gray off. Not even he wants to see something like that from another guy, fuck that.

When the obvious penetrates Gray's thick skull, he jerks to the side to grab his pelt and quickly covers his crotch with the balled up fur. "Ah, crap, sorry about that, Lucy! I guess I shouldn't have done that in front of you," he chuckles without humor.

"No, you shouldn't have!" she yells. "Why would you get naked of all things?!"

"It's habit of his. I'd beware of it in the future," Natsu explains.

"You could have warned me!"

"Sorry about this, again. I'll see you later then." Gray gives an awkward wave goodbye to them both and walks off towards the village without a care that his butt is still out.

Natsu rolls his eyes in Gray's direction but doesn't mean anything spiteful by it.

Lucy cautiously turns her head to peek around her shoulder, waiting for Gray to go beyond the tree-line and out of sight before she can give a sigh of relief. "I can't believe that happened."

"Did you get a good look at his Sacred Rod?" Natsu smirks teasing.

She about chokes on her spit. "Why would I do that?!"

"You said you wanted to look at us."

"Not like that, you idiot." She backs away from him and balances most of her weight on her good ankle. "Gray seems like a fine male to me, beyond that weird habit," she says.

"Yeah, lucky for him, he realized what happened. If he hadn't, it would have been a good excuse to rip his dick off."

She frowns a little, not used to hearing a nastier term to address a Sacred Rod. "I suppose if more males are like Gray, then it wouldn't be that bad for me to try and visit the tribe. I mean, when you think the time is right. They might not be bad but I'll still leave it up to you when to approach them, since I don't really understand this whole Sacred Rod thing."

"Eh, that's nothing you have to worry about. I'd be more concerned with how weird some of 'em can get. I bet you had weird females in your old tribe, too, though," he shrugs.

"I might not be able to take down a bear like you can, Natsu, but that doesn't mean I can't defend myself if someone gets weird."

"You wouldn't have to do that, since I'd always be around to make sure those weirdos know their place. You can go to the Male Tribe whenever you want—actually no, wait a few more weeks or somethin'. I want to make sure on a few more things before you go. But when you do go, I'll go with you, since I ain't trustin' the other guys to keep their Sacred Rods under control."

She raises an eyebrow. "I thought you said I didn't have to worry about their Sacred Rods? Which is it?"

"No, _you_ don't worry about it. _I_ worry about it. If their reactions towards you the first time 'round don't say something about what they think of you, then I don't know what will," he snorts.

"You mean their Scared Rods having them drop to the ground?"

"Yeah, that shit can hurt, but let's say that happened because they … thought you were pretty."

Lucy pauses confused, saying she doesn't really understand, thinking that they dropped because they were mad.

"Doesn't matter," Natsu says. "I'll make sure to kick their asses if they do anything to make you scared."

"This doesn't sound right. You should absolutely trust your village. They've been with you all your life, unlike me."

He gives one hard chuckle and brings up an arm to wrap around her shoulders. He hugs her close to his side. "True, I guess it does seem stupid when you say it like that, but I like being around you. The guys will understand."

Lucy's hand quickly comes up to press over her heart. She takes a deep breath to settle the uneven heart beat he can hear. "I … I like being with you, too."

Having his arm around her is such a natural thing for Natsu to do, no thought put into it when it feels as if they've known each other for longer then they actually have. That's why it's strange when his arm suddenly feels ten times heavier resting against her and his heart rapidly tries to break free of its confinement within his chest, matching hers. He almost wants to jerk his arm away from her but snorts quietly to himself at the thought. Why the hell should he do that?

Natsu takes note of Lucy's blush and the way her eyes turn down from him, a reaction she has whenever she gets bashful. He doesn't like her doing, rather wanting to look someone directly in the eye to understand their intentions better. He lets her get away with it often because he's soft on her.

"Hey, don't freak out. I want to try somethin'," Natsu says. He licks his bottom lip, ignoring the way his stomach tickles and tries to keep his uncertainties hidden from Lucy.

Her eyes widen slightly and there's confusion to her frown. "Oh, sure. What is it?"

With baited breath, he swiftly ducks his head and grazes his lips against hers. He can barley feel her softness against his mouth, a gentleness that could rival a falling snow flake, but her heat is unmistakably against his lips. This close to her, with his nose brushing up against her cheek, her scent is overwhelmingly strong.

Natsu comes to the conclusion that an action like this is meant to show a specific type of fondness for someone else, willing to trust that those teeth coming near won't harm you but rather give comfort. To speak not with the voice but with the body, expressing more in this one instance of pressure than any words can form. Thinking of it that way, what those foxes did was more than initiating kinship, not when they share their entire lives, their entire existences, with one another. It makes sense to think of it like that with Lucy. Natsu doesn't share his life with anyone else like he does with her.

He was expecting a large sense of relief to rush through him by having Lucy under his mouth, claiming her lips and stealing her breath this time on purpose. He expected to react the same as before in the tree trunk, his gut punched to the point of breathlessness and his limbs to course with the need stiffen up. What he finds instead is a pleasant surprise. While it doesn't emotionally feel as if much is happening, there is a slight current of electricity happening between their lips, a buzzing wave that he senses could potentially get stronger as time goes on. He's happy with that, as doing this kind of gesture is strange to act out, something he, or rather _they_, need to get used to. He definitely wants to show Lucy more of this affection in the future.

Slowly backing away, Natsu tries to remind himself to breathe as he waits for Lucy to react. She might not understand what he did—like that first accidental encounter—and he wants to reassure her that what happened is okay. He thinks he might have broken her though. Her eyes are wider than he's ever seen before, enough that he finds his own refection of confusion in their earthy brown color.

"Um, hello?" he says unsure.

His voice pierces her stone like stiffness and she twitches, gaining height in her voice. "Yes, I'm here!"

Her reaction makes him chuckle. "Thanks," Natsu shrugs easily.

"W-what for?"

"For nothin' in particular. Just thanks. Talking with Mas Ter today has made me realize how much I like having you around all over again."

"Um, you're welcome … What we did ... it was nice. What exactly was it?"

"This thing males and females do. Or people that have a bond like we do. Eh, I can't really explain it. I just wanted to do it."

She smiles slightly. "Sounds right for you."

"Hey, what should we call it?"

"I-I don't know." Lucy quickly ducks her head, bangs shielding her eyes and promptly showing off that blush that dominates her creamy complexion. "There's a word I've heard before. Something like cyshion … no, its cy-cyssan, that's it. It means 'to touch with the lips'. That sounds right. I don't remember what language it's from, unfortunately."

His eyebrows furrow. "What was it? Kissin?"

"No, cyssan."

"It still sounds like your saying kissin. Kissing? Kiss?"

She laughs lightly at his silliness and brings those bright eyes back up to him. "Kiss sounds easier to say. I can go with that."

* * *

**Authors Notes:**

**I had a lot of trouble writing this chapter. At first, Natsu was written to be possessive / protective of Lucy and refusing to let Gray get near her. There was also the aspect of Natsu's affections for Lucy. That was the biggest struggle. I don't think he would put as much thought into what he's doing compared to Lucy. He's aware their bond is strong but not to the point of seeing her as a potential life partner, a concept he doesn't understand yet.**

**It wasn't until I re-read a few chapters of Fairy Tail that I realized how to write this chapter. Natsu would NEVER dictate Lucy's life. He would never keep her away from others. He would never tell her who she can and can't meet. His main concern is seeing her happy. Having friends—something he always puts on a high pedestal—is something that would make her happy, resulting in his happiness. After thinking all of that through, I re-wrote 70% of the chapter and now I'm happy with it.**

**Otherwise, the conversation with Mas Ter gives some explanations that needed to be addressed. I can't explain everything, because a story like this can be hard to explain. It's basically a fantasy that I'm trying to get as accurate as I can.**

**Also, during the Stone Age farming was a thing. It came about more towards the very end of the Stone Age, so that's where I'm setting this story.**

**Please, leave a review! They're always appreciated! I'll update again when I can! Thank you everyone!**


	10. Not So Sleep-Pea

**Not So Sleep-Pea**

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Lucy frustratingly shifts to lie on her left side, turning away from Natsu and coming around to face Happy. In the time she's spent with the boys, they've come to a silent agreement on the sleeping order within the nest. From left to right, it always goes Natsu, Lucy, and then Happy.

Having gone from lying on her back, to smashing her face into the pelts while on her stomach, all the way around to spreading her limbs wide, no position has set Lucy contently into sleep. Her skin is crawling, an itch that can never be scratched, as restlessness keeps her awake. Normally she's an easy sleeper but every once in a while since coming into Natsu's life, she finds herself agonizingly awake in the middle of the night.

It comes on suddenly when all is quiet and there are no distractions, allowing her mind to wonder into the darker parts of her heart. It's a place she doesn't like to linger in, always trying to remain on the optimistic side of things, but it's hard to ignore the throbbing pain in her chest. Somehow, the cut in her rib also seems to magnify in it's pain, throbbing in tune with her heart. The wound healed completely a long ago, a cut to the skin quicker to heal then a sprain to the ankle, but right now it feel as if she fell back down into that mole tunnel and injured herself again. This is a dull sadness from having her life changed drastically, her soul begging to see her family again. While out of sight during the day thanks to Natsu and Happy's ever-cheerful attitudes, this sadness lets itself be fully known in the darkness when she can't help but be a little more vulnerable.

Technically, these horrible feelings are all Natsu's fault, since he's the one that took her regular life away. Yet, Lucy can't bring herself to truly blame him. He doesn't have a clue of what he's emotionally done to her—in more ways than one. While true that he's saddened her, he's also opened her mind to new wonders. Until meeting Natsu, she hasn't laughed this much in all her life. He's such a goof-ball, playful and … let's just say naïve but with good intentions. She has a different sense of companionship being with him, one she finds uniquely endearing to the point of it being almost addictive. Around the other females in her tribe—knowledgeable Levy, caring Juvia and gentle Wendy immediately coming to mind—Lucy could laugh, smile and bond with her fellow females all the same. But there's something about Natsu that's compelling a new type of bonding experience to happen, one that she's never had with another person before. With each interaction they have, the red string of fate weaves them closer together.

It's because of these crazy-mixed emotions that Lucy's not sure what to do. She can't have this aching in her heart go on forever, but the more she gets to know Natsu, the worse this attachment becomes. She hasn't decided if that's good or bad. Should she try and escape again while she can before she becomes further ensnared in this boys grasp?

Ever since they accidentally brush lips while hiding in that oak tree, Lucy has become sensitive to Natsu on a new level. That sensitivity only increased tenfold once he initiated their first, real kiss. There's a need to be at his side whenever she can, to watch him go about his day and listen to the gravel tone of his voice that she didn't realize was there before. She delicately watches him with a new view to her eyes. The smallest detail in the way his body works quickly captures her attention—back muscles stretching in the late summer light, calloused hands and their tight grips, the soft curve of his neck. Each of these once unnoticeable things makes one-part shyness and another part eagerness overwhelm her.

Lucy didn't realize until now how beautiful Natsu actually was, as it took having his mouth shoved up against hers to acknowledge this. She almost wishes she hadn't. She's heard of being twitterpated, finding infatuation in the spring when new life is created, but spring is long past and the summer flowers are on the verge of being replaced with fall foliage, so what could this newfound attraction for him be about? A lot of the women in her tribe are pretty, highly beautiful even, but Natsu she finds more than attractive …

Her emotions flip-flopping back and forth between homesickness and finding this male charming makes Lucy want to scream. She groans quietly and pulls a pelt over her head as if shielding the world from her stupidity. She knew from the very start to that acknowledging the damn fluttering in her heart would only make things more complicated! She knew it was trouble and yet look at what's happened! Giving it life has only made it that much stronger.

"Can't sleep?"

Natsu's quiet voice makes Lucy twitch, both from his voice coming from the darkness and because it's _him_. The culprit of all these insane thoughts is right behind her. She should have known he was awake when the sound of his light snoring cut out.

She talks muffled into the pelts. "I-I can't get conformable." The animal hides shift behind her, pulling the furs a little, but she refuses to give ground on them. She likes having them surround her to act as a shield.

"That explains the squirmin'. I thought a snake made its way in," he comments tired.

"If a snake did make its way in, you'd know because I'd scream."

"Ah, don't be such a wimp. Snakes don't harm you unless you harm it first."

"Ever come across a snake with a hook on its nose? Those things are always mean no matter what you do towards them. There was one in particular that made a nest towards the edge of my … old tribe. We called it Pissy."

He coughs a laugh. "That's the best!"

Happy grumbles in his sleep, rolling over to bury his face into the furs and tucking his pointed ears downward as if he can block out their noise.

"Shhh, don't wake him up," Lucy hushes.

Natsu doesn't heed her warning, never having been one to control the volume of his voice. "Hey, you think it's weird for me to have one Sacred Rod but snakes have two."

That sudden revelation is enough to have her turn to look over her shoulder at him. "They _what_?" she asks incredulously.

"They fork at the tip, straight in two." The way he talks is almost smug, perhaps a universal feeling among those that have Scared Rods. "I saw it when a snake was with another snake last summer. I think maybe he was fighting for dominance, considering his Scared Rod was out."

"That's both amazing and disturbing."

"You know, normally when I can't sleep, I don't bother lying down. We could go for a walk if you feel like moving."

She turns back around and shakes her head. "No, that's not wise. I don't want to be outside having to look over my shoulders for creatures on the hunt for me."

He scoffs. "Come on, like anything would be tough enough to try and eat us. There's no way I'd let anything harm you."

She squeezes her eyes tightly and tries to bundle up in the pelts more. "If you want to go for a walk that badly then go."

"It wouldn't be the same if you weren't there freaking out about the shadows moving in the darkness."

"Are you concerned with my well-being or using me for a laugh?" she asks dull.

"Both." Lucy senses how Natsu leans up on an elbow, looking down at her and getting a little closer. "Is it that you don't feel good?" he asks concerned.

"... I don't know," she admits in a whisper.

He goes quiet, that silence telling of his confusion and unease at her answer. "I've noticed you sometimes don't sleep well. You get restless. Do you have bad dreams?"

"No, I normally don't have bad dreams. I only have a lot on my mind, about me and other stuff."

"You mean like when you go out and think at the cliff side?"

"Yeah ... that. I do that too often ..."

"I've been told that it's not good to keep sad things like that to yourself. Although I hate talking about crap like that myself, you don't mind talking, so go on ahead."

"You have such a wise way with words …" She sighs. "I … I think I can tell you about certain things, anyway. On one condition," she interjects quickly. "I want you to turn around and lie on your back. Keep your eyes straight ahead."

"Huh? Oh, Alright …"

Natsu does as asked and when the shifting of the pelts goes quiet on his end, Lucy tentatively looks over her shoulder. His eyes are locked onto the ceiling, arms bent up and cradling the back of his head in his palms. If it wasn't for the moonlight streaming in through the edges of the buffalo hide doorway, she wouldn't be able to see him. As it is, his outline shines softly, defining the lines of his body and turning everything under that soft edge of light into a dark silhouette. The one thing that stands out is his strawberry pink hair, the most out of place thing on Natsu. To this day, Lucy still doesn't understand why it's that color. She's seen green on other females—Bisca comes to mind—but why pink for him?

She takes a deep breath to gather her wits, creating a simple mistake in doing so. Taking in that breath reminds her of how much she's surrounded by Natsu; the pelts smell like him, every inch of the house contains aspects of him and it doesn't help that his flesh and blood lays beside her, radiating warmth that she can feel under the nest. She lies on her back like he does, trying to keep on equal terms with him despite this churning in her belly making her want to turn away. She keeps her hands under the pelts, folded against her stomach.

"Alright, out with it. Why are you acting weirder then normal?" Natsu asks.

Lucy sighs disappointed. "That's not the proper way to ask me something. Also, quit calling me weird." She shifts her shoulders, hoping to release some of the tension in them but nothing changes. "I was thinking about how my family is. I've never been away from them for this long and it's … a little hard for me."

She waits for him to say something but he never does.

"I'm sure that Wendy is overcome with worry for me. That little girl is always concerned about something," she chuckles a little, remembering fondly of the youngest female of her tribe. "I can't imagine how out-right mad you've made Erza. That girl is going to skin your hide the next time she sees you."

He snorts harsh and the edge in his voice says he's up for the challenge. "Let's see her try. I'll beat her to pulp if she tried to dare fight me."

"Don't underestimate her. Erza has taken down monsters the size of houses."

"So have I."

"Ever fend off 100 monsters at once?"

He grimaces. "No—but I could if I wanted to. I'm telling you, I'm way stronger than this Erza girl."

"Either way, don't fight Erza the next time she comes around. I imagine between the two of you it'd be an outright battle to the death."

"She'd deserve it if she came back. I told her and everyone else you belong here now."

Lucy can't bring herself to comment on that. What firstly goes through her mind is how their wrath was brought down because Natsu kidnapped her. He deserves every vengeful attempt thrown at him. Second thing that comes to mind is how she can't dare say those awful things out loud to this kind boy.

"I've also been thinking about you," she admits gently.

"Me? What about me?" he asks, turning his head towards her curiously.

His stare burns holes through her skin but she concentrates on the ceiling, trying to see into those pitch-black shadows for spirits wondering in the dark. "Nothing much. Mostly how nice you are."

"Duh, I could have told you of my greatness from the start."

"Oh-so humble, too. Really though, I'm … thankful. Considering all that's happened, I'm glad you've been kind to me."

"That's what families do; they rely on one another and are kind for it."

"Do you really think that? About me being in your family, I mean."

"Yup. I said I'd take care of you and I always keep my promises. Igneel told me kindness begets kindness. That it's better to make friends then enemies. I love giving a good ass-kicking but nothing beats having a family, you know?" Lucy can hear Natsu's beliefs in his tone, truly taking to heart that she means more to him then she realizes. The flutter in her chest starts back up for a moment.

"Who's Igneel?" she asks.

"Ah, that's my dad. He's a dragon."

Why is everything he's saying tonight trying to give her a heart attack?

"A dragon?!" she says amazed.

"Yeah. The King of Fire Dragons he's known for being. But he left a couple years back and I haven't heard a word from him. That idiot could have visited or something ... I know he's out there and I'll find him again one day."

"He sounds like a kind dragon."

"He is. Most dragons hate humans but Igneel believes we can live in harmony." Natsu eyes her with a slight frown. "Most people don't believe me when I tell them I was raised by a dragon."

"I believe you because of Wendy, a girl from my tribe. She was raised by a dragon, too."

He lifts his head a little in surprise and asks if that's really true.

"Yes. I was told it was a female dragon that could control wind. She was white as snow and downy feathered."

"So, there are female dragons, too," he mumbles.

"Is Igneel why you have an affinity for Igny?"

"Yeah," he smirks. "Igneel taught me a few things when I was a whelp."

"I take it that's why your body is always hotter than normal. Not once since I've been here have you felt the need to light an Igny in the pit during the night."

"Oh, sorry, I didn't think that bothered you."

"It doesn't. You give out enough heat in the nest to make me feel warm. Although I imagine in the dead heat of summer it's going to be like sleeping next to Hades. As of now, it's nice."

Happy's voice growls out of nowhere. "It would also be nice if you two could be quiet."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Lucy whispers in guilt.

"Ah, sorry, bud. Didn't mean to keep you awake," Natsu says.

Happy sighs harshly and begrudgingly sits up. He whines in complaint. "You _did_ mean to wake me up and you're _jerks_ for it."

She gently massages his soft cheeks in each hand, playing tenderly with his fur and whiskers. She can't help but wonder if he thinks this is all a dream due to how tired he is. "We'll go back to sleep, alright? No more talking," she says quiet.

He nods groggily and plops back into the nest. "Goodnight then."

Lucy waits a couple of seconds for Happy to settle in before whispering. "It's hard to adjust having another person live with you."

"He's going to have to get used to it if you don't sleep the same as us," Natsu snorts, having no sympathy for the little feline.

She watches Happy curl into a ball with his back to her, ears tucking down and tail curling around his body under the pelts. When he does that, he looks like a blue pea. Suddenly, she wants to cackle really loud at the sight. She thinks she must be really tired to find this funny, perhaps some of the stress has gotten to her.

Lucy tries to contain her laughter. "Hey, Natsu. What do you call a tired pea?"

His lips tighten as he thinks of an answer but gives up. "What is it?" he asks.

"Sleep-pea."

It's a really lame joke. So bad that it makes her physically want to cringe away from its awfulness.

They both end up choking on their laughter.

"Alright, that's it!" Happy hisses.

He jerks the pelts away from him in a showy flash, bringing out his claws and grinding his teeth in a threatening manner, those sleep deprived, red eyes of Happy's telling all—that he's not messing around. Natsu and Lucy get chased out by the angry cat into the quiet, cold night, shrinking away from his loud hissing and animalistic growls. Natsu tumbles out of the house with a moose pelt in his hand, having snatched it before Happy could get to him. Happy lightly swipes at Lucy's legs as she's rushed outside, although she knows that Happy would never actually hurt her, she mainly backs away because of the way he's acting, having never seen him get this mad before.

"Stay out here and talk!" Happy demands, jabbing a claw at the ground. He snaps the buffalo hide aside and enters the hut to go angrily back to sleep.

Natsu scratches his cheek, standing in the darkness wearing only a pelt wrapping around his waist and holding the fur he snatched. "Geez, he didn't need to go that far."

"I guess anyone would be mad if they were unexpectedly woken up," Lucy says, irritated at being thrown out of her sleeping space.

She rubs her upper arms to generate some warmth and looks to the hidden quarter moon high above. While her breath doesn't puff in white clouds before her, wearing simple animal hides that cover her chest and waist, enough to keep her from being naked under the nest but allowing Natsu's heat to not suffocate her during her sleep, these garbs turn the late-ending summer coldness into a teeth chattering predicament.

That chill doesn't last long as a heavy weight settles on her shoulders and warmth encases her back. "Guess we'll have to go on that walk now," Natsu smiles, readjusting the moose pelt to fit her properly.

"Aren't you going to be cold?" Lucy asked concerned.

He raises an eyebrow and slaps a hand against his bare chest. "I told you, Igny is my specialty. It'll take more than this little chill to get to me."

"If you say so …"

The thought of a midnight walk isn't something she's looking forward to, not when there are unnerving shadows crawling up from the forest, clouds covering the sky and removing the view of her celestial friends. It makes Lucy uncertain about what could be lurking in the twisting silhouettes of the overhead tree branches. She remembers at a young age how she lost a fellow female to this same darkness, hunted down under the cover of night. While Lucy and the female that lost her life weren't the closet, it was an experience she soon hasn't forgotten due to the trauma it created on such an impressionable mind.

Then again, if Natsu and her were to go on a walk and she "accidentally" got separated from him in the darkness ... Could this be her last chance to escape back to her homeland? The thought sends a wave of butterflies through her gut, making the fingers of her right hand clutch against her exposed stomach.

Has she gathered enough information on male life to return? Yes and no, Lucy thinks. Yet what's more concerning is that she could gather all the information she wants about male life and suddenly find that she can't escape due to her growing attachment towards Natsu. Thoughts of him are already keeping her awake at night, confusion, attraction and so many other things about him daring her to explore new territories within her heart.

The thought of escaping again in the middle of the night isn't very pleasant, thinking that she'll have all the luck in the world and fall into another sink hole, but the longer she stays, the worse this attachment towards Natsu is going to become. She _knows_ that. And if that happens, she's never going to have the will to leave again. At the very least, past her uncertainties and fluttering heart, she can admit that. Natsu is too charismatic for his own good and he's not even aware of it in the slightest.

Would she be able to get away with escaping now of all times? Lucy thought that all males were like Natsu, senses heightened to the point of it being animalistic, until she talked with Gray and realized that Natsu's senses are honed under special circumstances. After hearing his upbringing by a dragon, it explains a couple of things about his body, how he seems more animal then human at times. His sense of smell is astonishing, his strength impressive and healing abilities the most surprising thing, as she has seen him get clawed at by wild monsters and have his injuries heal in less than three days. Most troubling is the way Natsu can conjure Igny. Would he be able to see her in the pitch darkness as she tried to hide among the foliage?

Plus, after all this time of staying put, would a sudden escape attempt make him angry? She told him that she wanted to return home with him ... but it was never a promise to stay. From his view point, it could have been, she's not sure. If found, would he tie her up and lock her down in the house until she was forced to admit defeat? She doesn't think he would do any of that but imagining him angry doesn't forebode well. What is more concerning is her own emotions. She felt_ guilty_ for hurting Natsu's feelings last time. What would escaping this time do to the boy?

This darkness might be intimidating but if it's Lucy's only chance of escape before this madness willingly ensnares her forever, then she has to face it.

"Come on," Natsu says. "We'll walk a loop around the tribe and then sneak back in when Happy is asleep."

She's thankful for how thick the moose hide is, as it prevents from showing her quivering. "If you say so," she says nonchalantly.

The beginning of the walk is filled with Lucy jumping at every moving shadow. Squirrels wondering the night, a bird taking flight and a chipmunk scurrying across her feet makes her scream. Normally she isn't this jumpy but it's the way her nerves send her body shaking in anticipation for her next escape attempt that messes with her. Natsu gets a kick out of every scream she makes; calling her a chicken and saying she's funny. Having enough of him laughing at her, she steels her nerves and refuses to get startled any longer, determined to show that she's no coward tonight, not on the last night they're together. Natsu talks for most of their walk, always a chatter-box even in the dead of night when all is quiet. The sound of his baritone that chuckles with amusement clutches at Lucy's throat, tightening it down as if she wants to cry.

The pathway they take opens up to towards the northern side of the Male Tribe, showing farm fields that bask in the waxing moon. Lucy's growing resolve sets aside any unease she might of had for the surrounding land, and when the path takes them back into the tree line, she uses the vast shifting darkness of the moon and clouds to her advantage. She slows her walk pace-by-pace, trying not to make it obvious that she's falling behind, pretending to linger due to something that's caught her interest. Natsu walks on ahead as a large, black silhouette, showing no fear of the forest and continuing to talk about something that she's taken to droning out. When she feels she's far enough out of reach, she quickly shifts her walk and directs her feet to take her into the forest without thought, veering off into a line of spruce trees.

Lucy can't see what's under her feet, as anything below her ankles gets swallowed in a sea of darkness, but she tries to keep her steps light but swift. She keeps her eyes straight ahead and lets her body go through the motions of a fast walking pace that could turn into a sprint at any moment, afraid to run right away due to how loud the motion would be. Now that she thinks about it, can she run? To walk on her bad ankle brings no pain but running might be another matter. She can only pray to the Gods that she doesn't end up physically hurting herself_ again_ trying to escape. The beating of her own heart pounds in her ears, making her unable to hear anything else but that. She wouldn't know until last second if Natsu came for her, possibly on the hunt already.

I'm going to get to see my family again, Lucy thinks frantic. All of her female friends and her old way of life are so close in her grasp. All she has to do is abandon Natsu.

Lucy stumbles in her walk, tripping against a rock from the tips of her toes scrapping against it. She would have fallen to the ground if not for the pine tree next to her, catching one of it's lower lying branches and knocking the breath out of her. She quickly stands back up straight, her body automatically prepared to start back up the motion it was going through before being interrupted. But Lucy stops. She grips the tree branch to the point sap begins to seep out below her nails, breath coming in short bursts that dry out her mouth. There's an awful hole being punched through her chest, a part of her about to be torn away and making it that much harder to think. She finds herself unable to move.

It doesn't take long for someone to grab her hand away from the pine branch, making Lucy almost jump out of her own skin.

"This way, weirdo. You're going the wrong way," Natsu says light.

He doesn't realize what she was trying to do, Lucy notices quickly. Rather, he seems to think that she_ really did_ accidentally wondering off the beaten path. Knowing that makes things that much worse for her. His firm grip on her hand has instant warmth loosen her freezing fingers and a sharp wave of goosebumps run up her shaking arm. This time, it's neither from the cold nor anxiousness suddenly grasping at her heart that makes her shiver.

That strong grip of Natsu's is going to make it impossible to get away ... but that's not as disappointing as she would have thought.

Gods, what's happening?

"I won't let you get lost as long as you keep a hold of me. This way," he says, tugging her back towards the main trail.

"I'm sorry," she mutters sullen.

"You got lost, Lucy. Nothing to be sorry about."

But it still feels like there's so much to be sorry for.

* * *

**Authors Notes:**

**Thank you for all the reviews left so far. Your encouragement is amazing!**

**Please, leave a review to tell me what you think of the new chapter! I appropriate any kind words!**


	11. Seeing Through The Rain

**Seeing Through the Rain**

* * *

Natsu and Lucy rush along through the forest, trying to find some balance in the slippery grass that threatens to trip their feet at any moment. The sound of heavy rain shrills in their ears, buzzing like bees in a hive of activity. In Lucy's arms, she keeps a tight hold on her woven basket filled with berries, some of the small fruits dropping to the ground from her urgency to get out of the rain and left behind.

Natsu tries to shield his eyes from the heavy rainfall with an arm poised above his head and blindly shoulders aside the buffalo hide door of their home. They both stop at the front entrance soaked to the bone and shivering from the onset of cold that comes with these bleak, fluffy clouds that dominate the sky.

"It didn't seem like it was going to rain earlier," Lucy complains. Her body sags as if the rain has added 20 pounds to her and her side ponytail is a tangled mess with wet tendrils sticking wherever they can to her exposed skin.

"I told you, I could smell it on the wind," he says. He shakes his head to try and rid his hair of its sobbing mess, having water droplets fly, much to her annoyance.

"How would you know rain was coming on the wind?"

"I just can. It smells damp and the air feels heavy."

She sets her soggy basket on a wooden bench and begins to organize the berries, storing them away in skin bags. Next to the bench, Natsu has placed an assortment of cut meats within a wooden box, keeping the flesh cold in some ice that was provided by Gray. None-too easily either, since Natsu had to return a-pain-in-the-ass favor for the ice. Lucy was the one that made the suggestion to create an ice-box for the meat, a smart move on her part. Normally the meat inside the box would be rotten by now, having him rush out for another hunt to keep from starvation setting in, but since he doesn't have to hunt as often anymore, he finds its ample time to catch up on other things.

Looking at those dark purple berries, Natsu knows they won't stay that way for long separated from their mother stems. He's going to have to make some sort of wooden compartment to store them in, as Lucy likes going about things that way. She's also taken to tidying up the rest of the house, and while things haven't been drastically moved, allowing him to find items when need be, the organization of the space has some 'function' to it, as she puts it. He doesn't mind his home being clean, in fact it's kind of nice and she does have her say in how the space should work since she's living here, too.

"Where's Happy?" Lucy asks, looking around the space but seeing no blue fur ball.

"I'm not sure. He was actin' kind of weird when he left this morning. I thought he'd be back by now," Natsu shrugs.

"The poor thing. I hope he found shelter somewhere."

"Eh, a little rain never hurt anyone. The trees were starting to die quicker than normal. Also, it's been a while since I've had a bath. It was probably about time."

"You shouldn't have to wait for the rain to do such a thing …"

Without thought, Natsu removes his scarf and top fur pelt, both pieces wanting to stick to his skin desperately with their heavy, water weight. He better get an Igny going and prepare for a long, wet night.

Lucy fiddles with her fingers, light brown eyes standing out wide against her rain stained face. "Why are you taking your pelt off?" she asks quiet.

The stupid question makes him throw the pelt to the side, not caring for where it falls, which happens to be on top a pile of old bones. The scale scarf he takes better care of, as it's the only memento he has left from Igneel, and places it on a specially made shelf for the garment towards the back of the house.

His teeth chatter from the cold. "I don't want to sit around in that soaked stuff. Besides, it's better to be naked to get warm at times like this."

"Naked?" she asks incredulous.

"Yes, naked. I think you should definitely do that, since you get cold easily. We'll get under the pelts afterword's and—"

A thought suddenly slaps Natsu in the face.

Naked to him means nothing. Naked for Lucy …

She pulls her arms in tight to try and generate some heat, pressing her chest together to form a deep cleavage line, flesh pressed against flesh in a way he's used to seeing by now on Lucy, but during times like this something feels different about it—about her. The leopard skins covering her chest must be thinner than he initially thought, as her nipples rise from the cold and here's a slight quiver to those soft lumps from her shivering. Lines of water fall to the hollow between her breasts and follow other curves, along the shoulders and her wide hips.

If she were to take her leopard hide off, letting him fully see those peeks and possibly get a vexing glance at what could be between her legs, what would that do to him? Would he back away in terror from seeing ... whatever is it she has? He did before when they first met, pinning her down only to see that she had no Sacred Rod and backing away with an ache to his crotch like it got hacked off. It's still freaky to think she doesn't have a Sacred Rod but his morbid curiosity is starting to get to him, also.

In this moment, Natsu also sees the way Lucy's lips have turned shallow in color, going up like a fish's belly, her skin pale as snow and not like that of fresh eggs, an alarming color for survival. Those little shivers that send goosebumps waving across her body has worry and a bit of shame overcome him, noticing her body firstly and her health secondly. He sets aside his curiosity and uncertainty to focus on her well-being. He can think about how different her body is when they're both not at risk of freezing their balls off. Then again, Lucy doesn't have balls. So, what'd she freeze off—her tits?

"You should really do it. You'll get sick otherwise and I don't want that to happen to you," Natsu says.

"I … no, there's no way I can," she dismisses.

He unties the sash that keeps his lower wrapping on. "Come on, what's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that you're not like me. It's one thing to be naked in front of another female but with you … I don't know. There's something about it that doesn't seem so easy about it."

"Look, I get that, sort of, but it shouldn't matter at a time like this when you could freeze to death. Besides, I already saw you naked once before. Nothing's changed since then."

Her lower lip juts out. "That's because you snuck up on me."

Lucy's stubbornness is going to be the death of her, he thinks. He knows for a fact that it's better to get out of those sobbing animal hides and if she's going to be weird about it, he's going to have to get creative. If he tried to force her to get naked, that would amount to a quick end of his life. She's small but, damn, does she have one powerful kick, evident by the way she kicked him out of the nest once before due to sprawling out in his sleep and accidentally slapping her in the boob.

Showing no shame despite what Lucy said, not understanding her reasoning's and therefore giving no heed to them, Natsu drops his pelt wrap and tosses it aside. He ignores the choked squeak that comes from her throat tightening down, finding her behavior weird. Who cares if he's naked? He's been nude before in front of the other males and none of them freaked out like her. Sure, her body might be different then his but there's no shame in that fact. Maybe this is a female thing. More importantly this is survival. Lucy's smart, she has to understand this.

With a high groan of frustration, she turns her back on him and looks to the ground.

Sitting on the floor, Natsu takes off his fur leggings and woven sandals. The freezing air doesn't do anything to his body, Igny coursing through his veins like a second set of blood that keeps him warm. "There's nothing wrong about this," he reassures. "You put too much thought into things. Come on! It's not that bad to go with it."

Lucy sounds as if she's going to say something, struggling for words that come out as little groans and stutters, but it all dies on her tongue.

He grabs from his stock pile of wood a few dry logs, putting them in the Igny pit and shoving aside old ash to crater the hole a little more. "Seriously, if you want, I'll hold up a pelt while you take your stuff off. I won't see a thing."

She sighs heavy at a loss for words, apparently none-too pleased with the idea. "If I put too much thought into things, you put too little."

"Hey, I'm not that stupid," he frowns.

"I didn't mean it that way. If I thought like you did ... I don't know. It seems hard to do, but it would probably lift a lot of burden from my shoulders if I stopped being so ..."

"Uptight?"

She snorts. "I think cautious is the more appropriate word."

Natsu chuckles slightly and attends to the Igny pit. Flames flicker off his tongue and spread out with a blow of his breath, catching on the wood and warming the space quickly. This dragon's breath within him comes about naturally, no need to force the flames into being any longer. His lungs are like a dragon's and the Igny that gets excelled from his body is the genuine thing, on rival with the beast. This used to be difficult for him to do, but his magical power has grown a lot since meeting Lucy, another benefit to having a female around, it seems. He hasn't even touched her chest yet to gain such power. His growing strength makes him swell with pride, and he holds up an index finger to show off to Lucy, giving a smirk.

His actions have captured her attention, not used to seeing someone _breathe_ Igny. She's used to how Natsu will stick his hand in Igny without hesitation, how he'll eat Igny, and a few times she's seen him hold Igny in his fist, but seeing it be blown out of his mouth is new to her. She might not want to see his naked body but his gift is obviously too intriguing to ignore, splaying her fingers over her eyes to see past them. The little eyebrow raise she gives says that she's impressed but it's not enough to keep her embarrassment at bay. She quickly turns her back on him.

"Come over by the Igny," Natsu says, flicking his wrist and expelling the flame.

"I can feel it from where I am," she mutters. He tries to contain a gruff snicker when she backs up nonchalantly closer to the Igny.

"Is it that you have a weird mark on your body or somethin'?" he asks.

"What? No," she says quickly.

He abides by what he said to get her going, not wanting her to stand there in those wet animal hides for much longer. He goes to the nest and picks out the cougar pelt to hold up as a curtain to hide her modesty behind. Wherever he goes, she turns her back on him to keep her eyes from accidentally seeing something she doesn't want to see. Oh, come on, it's not like he's ugly to look at … hopefully.

"I keep tellin' you, I don't want you to get sick. If you keep acting like this long into the winter that's going to be a problem," he sighs, pelt bundled in his arms.

"I get that but, it's—I don't know. Your … Sacred Rod, it's not going to attack now that it's out in the open, is it?" she asks weary.

"Huh? No, it doesn't work like that. The cold makes it go away; it's the warmth that keeps it around. Either way, there's nothing to be afraid about it."

"It chased away my entire tribe. I think I have the right to be somewhat worried about it."

Natsu roll his eyes but can't hold back a smirk at her imagination. "I don't get what happened at the time but I don't think it'll do that again. Not unless I touch your chest like last time."

"Please, don't do that," she says dull.

"I don't know …" he says slowly. "I am confused about that. My Sacred Rod was never that enraged before until I met you. It damn well hurt, if ya gotta know. Do you have some sort of magical power that made it do that?"

"I have nothing but my ability to talk to the stars," she answers.

"Wait, talk to stars? That sounds weird. But, then again, you are—"

"I swear on all that is holy, if you call me weird one more time, I will end your life."

"Maybe this thing that lets you talk to the stars is what did my Sacred Rod in."

Lucy groans loudly. "Don't go dragging my spirits into something like that. Okay, okay, I'll change, but let me get under the nest and then I'll explain some … things about myself."

Natsu silently agrees to her terms and spreads the cougar pelt out in front of him, creating a curtain for her to hide behind. She eyes him momentarily before throwing aside her leopard skins in quick fashion, tossing them into the corner of the room. Signaling to have the pelt follow her, Lucy holds the top of the fur with one hand as she directs it around to the nest, her other hand crossed over her chest that he can't see past the cougar hide. She flies under the many layers of furs, burrowing entirely under the nest for a moment before her head pops out like a gopher, snug and tightly concealed.

He follows after her, not necessarily needing to warm up but rather diving in for the comfort of the furs and the companionship of Lucy. He wiggles his way under the pelts, working into a position that they can both agree upon.

"Don't get too close," she says.

"It's not as if I'm going to eat you or something …"

Being smothered under the same layer of pelts, Natsu can feel her naked body inches away from him, making every single hair on his body rise. Her scent has been intensified by the rain, smelling of autumn wheat basking in the sunlight and the gentle breeze that rustles the lavender fields next to it. After sharing his nest with her for many days and nights, her scent lingers in the heat of the pelts, mixing with his scent in a satisfying way. Being this close to Lucy helps him calm down, her scent loosening muscles and relaxing the eyes. He's happy to know that at least she'll be safe and warm now.

"So, what's this power of yours really about, talking to the stars, that is?" Natsu asks.

They face one another lying on their sides, limbs bunched up to keep from accidentally touching one another. He knows she would warm up quicker if they shared body heat but if she wants to keep her distance, he'll let her. He might find her alluring but that doesn't mean he's going to act on this intensity swirling in his gut if she doesn't want to get near him. The other males can make fun of him all he wants when it comes to his dragon instincts but he's not some moron like they think he is. Lucy's well-being should always come first, no matter if his instincts might be screaming at him to get closer to her.

He also holds back because of the possibility of rejection.

It's plain to see that they're fond of one another, having a devoted and caring need in their partnership, but is Lucy attracted to him? Coming to see how smart and gentle she is has also made Natsu realize how out-classed he is by her. She seems to be like a delicate piece of cotton next to his thicket of thorns. They're foreboding thoughts that honestly make him a little sad. The one thing that reassures him though is that if she wants to stick by his side, he must be worthy of her in some way.

"My power is as I say it is," Lucy says, a harsh blush creeping along her cheeks. There's a slight pout to her lower lip that makes Natsu want to laugh. "The constellations and I have always been friends. I can speak with them and them in return. They guide me in life."

"How do stars talk?" he questions.

"With their voices."

"You know what I mean," he frowns unamused. "Is it only you that can hear them?"

"Yes. And if I'm lucky enough, they can affect the land in order to protect me. Take one time when I was young and I fell into a heavy flowing river. Aquarius, one of the star constellations, rescued me by calming the waters and pushing me ashore with the tide. She has power over the element of water. And do you remember that pink sheep that guided you to where I was trapped in that sinkhole? That was Aries leading you."

"You have guardians," he smiles.

"Yes, I'm very grateful for them. I know that you have been blessed to control Igny but are there any other males here blessed with such magical powers?"

Natsu tells her that Gray can create ice spears in the dead heat of summer. Then there's Gajeel who's Metalicana can coat his body into an indestructible armor. "What does that matter though?" he asks. "As long as you can fight for yourself divine power ain't needed."

Lucy's smirk is almost smug. "You can't say that when your tribe was almost beaten back by the females. Many of us have been bestowed with magic."

"I don't think that blessing of yours could help if you got attacked by a mountain lion."

"You never know."

"Okay, I get that part of you, but I need you to explain some other stuff to me since you're skittish about showing your body. If there's no Sacred Rod down there for you then what? Is there a reason you won't show me?"

Her voice has become quiet with her shyness and she lightly smothers the side of her face into the pelts. "I suppose … if your Sacred Rod is considered something of power in your tribe, then for us females … it would be … our Blessed Passage. It has been passed down for generations in my tribe what it means to be female. The tribe leader, Grand Dini, tells us that spirits, Gods and other beings can enter us through our Blessed Passage and give us divine power."

"I've never heard of such a thing," Natsu says skeptical.

"Be whatever it is to males, it's something I abide by. You'll eventually see the wrath of unholy spirits be shed from within my body. Although I haven't had it happen yet from the stress most likely …"

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means that females have more magic in them then males do, it seems."

"Hold on a second," he says blatantly. "By Blessed Passage what does that mean? Is it a cave? Come on, show it to me."

"No!" Lucy jumps. She shifts under the pelts to curl farther into a ball.

"It can't be that bad."

"It's not bad but… holy. I can't show it to you for just any reason."

"Ah, then that must be why you're afraid about being naked. What reason do you need to show it?"

"Nothing. I don't know how it works for you males but we don't go showing our Blessed Passage to anyone out of nowhere."

"Most guys don't give a shit if a Sacred Rod is shown."

"Then it must not be that sacred in the first place," she snaps.

Natsu's shoulders pull forward in a hackle. "We don't care because hiding a Sacred Rod would be considered shameful. It's our honor—you'd rather we cover up and cower away like shrews?"

He'd like to say more to her but it's hard to form the right words. How do you explain something that's part of your integrity to someone who's never had a Sacred Rod in the first place? He can't imagine his life without one, which is why it's so scary to know that she doesn't have a Sacred Rod but rather a Blessed Passage, as she puts it. Whatever she has can't compare to the pride of a Sacred Rod, divine powers or not.

Having Lucy say such a thing, to say that his pride means nothing, hurts. He's had insults thrown at him before by the other males—the usual spewing of how his Sacred Rod can't match up to someone else's, diminishing him as a person—but when she says something insulting, it really stings, mainly because he wants to matter to her.

"I'll show you its power if you'd let me touch your chest again," Natsu says, moving his arms under the pelts as if ready to do so.

"I don't want to know about its powers! Not until I know it's truly safe. If you scared away Erza it's a sight to behold," Lucy says irritated.

"You're never going to know if it's dangerous or not if you don't let it rise firstly."

"Rise how? I know something stuck up between your legs but I didn't see it."

"It kind of does that." He lifts the furs as an invitation. "Here—take a look."

She cozies her face into the pelts. "No, thank you! I mean, I want to figure you out … but not now. Some other time."

"You sure are confusing," he mutters, lowering the pelts. "Don't you trust me?" he asks with a slight pout.

"... I do. You've been good to me. I think I'm only tired," she says half-hearted.

"If you want to see its power, you're going to have to let me touch you at some point, otherwise it's gonna have a hard time waking up."

They go on for some time, bantering about getting near each other's bodies. Natsu doesn't think he'll ever understand Lucy's reasoning's, but he respects her boundaries enough not to push his luck. He supposes it's not a matter of distrusting him but rather something meant for the heart to decide.

The sound of the rain steadily thrumming above the hut and the cracking of the Igny lulls them to sleep.

* * *

**Authors Notes:**

**Shorter chapter than usual but I didn't want to drag it on nor leave you guys waiting for another chapter in the long run.**

**As usual, thank you everyone who has left reviews. Please do so again for this chapter and tell me how it's going! I'll update again as soon as I can.**


	12. Poppies & Gold

**Poppies & Gold**

* * *

"She's way too small!"

"What's up with the way her voice sounds?"

"She doesn't look like much of a fighter."

Speculations and questions circle Lucy on all sides. She doesn't know where to look, who to firstly speak to and how to answer all of their questions. Her palms sweat lightly but there's no ringing in her head begging to run, which would be impossible since she's surrounded by a hoard of curious males.

She's finally found the courage needed to head into the Male Tribe. Done so on a day when the lazy sun calms the body and reasons with the mind, the moment a male by the name of Droy saw her and Natsu, shouting ensued. "The female has come around!", one of them announced. Lucy didn't realize how excited the males were to meet her again after all this time. She supposes that she did avoid the tribe longer then necessary, heightening their anxiousness in seeing this mysterious creature known as "female" once again.

With Natsu at her side, she doesn't demand for the males to back away, feeling secure as she subtly watches his reactions. He's enjoying her struggle with the Male Tribe but he's also making sure she doesn't get too uncomfortable. He'll give simple gestures of reassurance: a pat on the arm or a quiet look silently asking if she's okay, things that most people don't take notice of but speak volumes to Lucy. His content nature during a momentous occasion such as this sparks his magic, overcoming the hot, suffocating air that the crowd once formed and turning it into the right level of warmth. It subconsciously attract some of the other males, as they flock towards Natsu to start a conversation without much need for talk.

Happy is the one that Lucy thinks is acting a little over-protective, hovering above the crowd like a vulture on the hunt for the weak. While Natsu doesn't find his friends' actions as invasive, Happy can tell otherwise and knows when to speak up. He'll make little insult comments every once in a while, his trademark mouth helping to steer their attention elsewhere.

So far though, most of the males have been polite and have given cautious greetings. Some apologized for treating Lucy like a piece of meat when she was first seen. Others ran their fingers through her side ponytail, commenting that the particular shade of gold in her hair was strange but pretty. One male named Macao did push his limits though, rubbing a hand over Lucy's rear and earning him a quick slap across the face that everyone laughed at.

The strangest of the males were the ones that dropped upon seeing Lucy. It almost shocked her, having forgotten the torment they went through upon first seeing a female. Most men automatically had the same reaction—covering their crotch, holding their breaths and letting their faces get red to the point of popping. Even males Lucy wasn't expecting to succumb to such behavior fell to their knees; all of them cursing under their breaths and quivering. She wasn't sure if they were mad, in pain, or all-the-above. Thankfully, none of the men were resentful for their unsightly failings, reassured by a bout of laughter from Natsu. He found their weakness funny, saying that their Sacred Rods were pissed off by her presence and that they weren't allowed to get any closer. That made things even more confusing for her but she decided it was best to let that go for now and focus on the more reasonable males that didn't succumb to their crotches.

Currently, what's more troubling for Lucy are the couple of males that have refused to approach her, hiding beyond the crowd and eyeing her suspiciously from a distance. Once holding the title of Brave, a dark blond named Laxus shows her an attitude of mild contempt. It's slightly frightening to see that a male twice her size, with muscles that could snap her neck and a scar running over his right eye, is able to silently hunt her down with his eyes alone. Two other males tag along with Laxus, refusing to leave his side as if they're his lackey's. That's okay with her though, because while they might not look as threatening compared to Laxus, they do give off a strange sense of intensity and foreignness, especially the male that refuses to keep his tongue in his mouth. The other male, Freed she was told, reminds her somewhat of Bisca from her tribe, mainly because of the green hair and sharp eyes.

"One at a time, please," Lucy says flustered.

"Sorry, kid, you can't blame us for our curiosity," Macao laughs.

Her jaw twitches. "After what you did, you aint' got the right to curiosity."

"I didn't mean anything bad by it, honest!"

"Forget it, man," Gray chuckles. "You dug your own grave with that first impression."

"He's no _man_ for makin' a lady feel that way," Elfman cries out, flexing his bulging muscles. While he is the biggest male here, towering over most of the other guys with muscles that could rival a thousand-year-old tree trunk, Lucy isn't afraid of Elfman due to the way the others brush off his behavior. He's got an odd way of speaking, she's noticed, as if he wants to embody the way he looks into the way he acts, forcing out the 'man' in himself.

She smiles to those around her. "I am interested to see how you males live."

"What's so different about this place? Is it manlier?" Elfman asks.

"Well, one thing that's different is that back in my tribe, we have sunflower fields, but I haven't seen any here so far."

He tilts his head to the side. "Never heard of sunflowers before. They don't sound manly enough, to me."

"That's not the point of them."

"Can you eat the flowers?" Natsu asks.

"The seeds you can. They're kind of salty but taste great. Sunflowers can actually grow taller than even you." Lucy lifts her hand as high as she can to emphasize her point.

It's a mood shift when a long, black-haired brute gets directly in her face, bending at the waist to get on eye level with her and sporting a threatening sneer that dares her to back way. What's more horrifying are the studs of Metalicana sticking out from his tanned skin, running along each side of his nose, over where his eyebrows should be and piercing other areas of his body.

What is this? Why does he look like that? What does he want? Lucy thinks rapidly.

She jumps when he gets closer to her, staring her directly in the eyes in what feels to be a challenge. She is unable to go anywhere with the crowd surround her, penning her in like a pig awaiting slaughter at the hands of this aggressive male.

"W-what …?" she asks nervous.

"What I had was better," he mutters.

"Huh ...?"

"Will you back up? Your making Lucy jumpy," Natsu demands. "Keep in mind, she's not something to eat, Gajeel."

"I know that!" the intimating male barks.

She tries to discreetly eye Natsu, looking for any indication that he's uncomfortable with Gajeel being this close to her. But, no, that doesn't seem to be the case. Natsu faces Gajeel head on with a smile that says familiarity, perhaps a ting of annoyance in his eyes at scaring her, but nothing that indicates he's about to push Gajeel away for his aggressive behavior. Natsu would never let her get hurt, and he doesn't seem the least worried over Gajeel's attitude. Maybe this is normal behavior for the Metalicana-studded male.

Happy from up above cackles. "Are you sure about that, Gajeel? Not when everyone wants to take a chunk out of your own skin when they can?"

"Shut it, cat!"

Natsu raises an eyebrow. "She was never food in the first place."

"That's not what you thought when you first brought her here."

"That was then and this is now."

"What good is she to you then?" Gajeel asks harsh. "What's up with Flame Brain wanting to keep you around, huh?"

Lucy tries to hold her voice steady, not wanting to show fear. "I'm not some property."

"I keep her around because she's interestin'. What more reason do I need?" Nastu asks as if bored.

Gajeel stands to his full height, instantly making her feel like an ant waiting to be crushed under the crazy atmosphere he radiates. He spits off to the side without any heed of whom might be standing there—luckily, his spit avoids someone thanks to their quick footwork—and Gajeel eye's her curiously in a sort of cruel manner. He's leaving her clueless on what she can do to make friends with him, not wanting to have enemies within the Male Tribe under any circumstances.

In the first place, why is he mad with her? What does he mean by 'mine was better' ... Levy. That's it. Lucy remembers how Levy had once attempted to sneak in to the Male Tribe to try and save her, but the fact that she was taken in by this strange male was a piece of information that Lucy almost forgot about, not the most prevalent thing to remember. It feels like such a long time ago that she was informed of Levy's rescue attempt, although she knows it hasn't been as long as her muddled brain perceive's it to be.

She looks back up at Gajeel, at his Metalicana and the sneer that's been embedded into his face. "Don't be mad at me. Levy wasn't your's to keep," Lucy comments.

"_Huh_?" he says cynical.

The need to defend her friends outweighs her need to back down, and while her heart might skip a beat in nervousness, she keeps her place. "Did Levy agree to stay with you?" she asks intent.

"No, she didn't, but-"

"Exactly. Then you have no right to be mad at her for leaving. At least when I attempted to leave, Natsu didn't get mad about it. He was understanding." She quietly hears some of the other guys laugh under their breaths, moving in to tease Natsu.

Not expecting her to talk back at him, Gajeel's eyes widen slightly and he stutters to find words. "N-no, no, wait! Levy was freaked out seeing us guys but she had a lot of guts. I thought she was cool for that. And if she had to stay the night in the village, I offered my home, nothin' more!"

"I thought you said you wanted to keep her?" Natsu asks confused.

"Shut it!"

Nope, Lucy instantly decides. Levy is never getting anywhere near a brute like this. Maybe if he can learn to smile, then she'd consider letting them get ten feet away from each other. _If_ they ever met again, that is. Levy was a smart girl to trick this male and get away while she could. At the very least, she isn't like me, Lucy thinks sullen. Having her heart get captured in the moment ...

"Don't mind him," Gray says, pushing in to end their fight. "Gajeel just doesn't know how to express himself."

"Don't speak for me, Ice Dick," he says harsh.

"What are you going to do about it?"

"I'll kick your teeth in, that's what, if you keep saying stupid shit."

"I'm up for a brawl!" Natsu joyously chimes in.

She pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs. Maybe she was looking into this too hard. "Males …" she mutters.

"Yeah, our species can be a little stupid."

Startled by the crackle in this voice—as all of the other voices around her have tones of youth and enthusiasm—Lucy quickly turns around to find a frail, old man. Shorter than the rest, as his height only reaches to about her hip, his mouth is lined with facial hair that has grayed with age. Wrinkles crease at the edge of his friendly eyes and he supports his weight on a wooden cane. She feels as if she knows this older man, back when she was tied upside down to a stick. Its the decorations bones and teeth that crown his head and adorn his chest that remind her on who this is: the leader of the Male Tribe.

She straightens up and quickly bows at the waist. "Pleased to meet you, wise male. I am Lucy."

From among the crowd, a voice stands out. "Don't call Mas Ter wise, it'll go to his fat head!"

"Shut it, you ingrates! You should have more manners around a pretty lady," he orders. "Bunch of animals, the lot of you."

"Says the guy that's been telling how much he wants to squeeze Lucy's—!"

The village leader clears his throat loudly, prompting him to actually start coughing due to his shriveled throat being dried out, pointedly cutting off the voice that fades into the background of the crowd. Lucy already has an idea on who this old man is as a person …

"Now then, I've been wanting to meet you for some time," he says.

"I know you might not like me being here, but Natsu said it should be alright ..." she chuckles without humor.

"I already talked to Mas Ter about you, don't worry about it. He's cool with you being here," Natsu smirks.

"You're more than welcomed here, my dear," the elderly leader agrees. "In fact, now that you've come to the village, I was hoping we could talk. You're the first female I've met in a long time and I was wonderin' if things had changed at all with your kind. Us males have been stuck in our ways for quite a long while, if you can't tell. Of all the other females I've met before, you sure are the most beautiful I've ever laid eyes on!" he says with a slight whistle.

To emphasize his point, his arm literally stretches out from his body like a long string of sap and reaches around to roughly pat Lucy on the rear.

She squeals startled and backs away with her hands covering her butt, bumping into the boys behind her that laugh at her reaction. "What was that?!" she shouts.

"Don't go bein' such a pervert already," Natsu growls, fisting a hand in warning that Mas Ter's antics aren't appreciated.

"Already?! You were expecting it!"

Mas Ter's laughing clacks the bone necklace against his chest. "Sorry, sorry, young ones. I couldn't help but adore such fine assets."

"Wh-what happened with your hand? It stretched!"

"Ah, that would be my magic." As a demonstration, his hand grows twice the size of his body, its enormous size letting her see all the little details in his sun-tanned skin, the hair on his knuckles and the way finger bones notch out from each joint in old age. "Of course, with things being so peaceful now-a-days I've had no used for it. I'm out of practice," he says, shrinking his hand back down to its normal size.

"Our of practice, my ass. You still managed to throw us into the forest," Gajeel snorts.

Moving past his obvious starvation for the female touch—much to Lucy's uncertainty, as she keeps her distance despite knowing he could easily reach out to her if he wanted to—Mas Ter states how he wishes to discuss the differences in culture between their two species, how the females work compared to the males and to exchange information about one another.

It's an exciting prospect to her, freely being given new, valuable information. The Female Tribe would love to hear this ...

"Hey, you can talk about that over some food. I'm starvin' over here," Natsu interrupts. "Why don't we go to the meat hall and have dinner?"

Choruses of agreements get tossed in the air, saliva flowing and feet moving towards the meat hall Natsu spoke of without hesitation. She is corralled along with the crowd to where the food is.

After all is said and done, Lucy's knowledge on male life has increased ten-fold. In a way, humans are humans—males and females really aren't that much different when it comes to doing what's needed for survival. They hunt in groups, share stories to keep legends going, comfort one another and show a smile when things are bleak. Boys, though, don't seem to have a wide range of perspective, as they pin-point focus on certain things and don't realize the much broader spectrum that comes with life. Boys also don't care much for hygiene and can talk about some of the most disgusting things. But they are mainly creative creatures when it comes to solving problems, are easily able to take care of themselves proficiently and there's something ornate about them that gives off a softness when they laugh with meaning.

But those things don't matter, because what keeps Lucy awake tonight is what keeps her awake most nights. All this new information is a reminder of what's waiting for her ... of what she's leaving behind. Going back home to see her family is still on her mind ... but that's it. These thoughts have become nothing more than thoughts, as she has not taken a single step towards escaping after her last failed attempt. Lucy has to go back someday though. She wants to see her girls again, to, at the very least, apologize to Erza for the fight they had before she left and to share this knowledge with everyone else. She has no right to keep this information to herself when it could mean a whole new future for her kind, making a discovery like this.

But still.

Memories of her day gently wash ashore in her mind. Of the males and their smiles in welcome, curiosity and excitement in the air, happiness all around formed from their straight-forward ways of life. Even those like Gajeel she noticed overtime didn't actually mean any harm. If there's one thing she's learned, it's that males have a harder time expressing themselves and while, for example, Natsu would rather bounce around with some other distraction then face what's bothering him, Gajeel puts up a tough front and plays distant when what he really wants is to be part of the crowd. Even Macao who made the mistake of a bad first impression sends a wave of guilt through Lucy, remembering how close he is to his boy, Romeo, and seeing the young boy in return be affectionate with him.

Most of all, Natsu's radiant smile comes to her. How truly happy he was about everything, about her meeting his extended family and friends, about being openly accepted among his fellow men. This pounding of the heart, the flutter of joy at his smiles and the glee he fills her with—at first, they were all shocking things to her body, but they've become sensations Lucy's come to enjoy. She still hasn't figured out what they mean, but they make her .. airy, what she thinks it would feel like to be on a cloud.

As of now, Natsu sleeps next to her peacefully, unaware of how wide awake Lucy really is. She can't help but reach out to him, gently brushing his bangs back from his eyes and caressing the side of his face. He seems to sense her touch, giving a light humming noise and sighing softly.

Since their late night walk, thinking about leaving Natsu's home out of the blue has brought a sense of betrayal to Lucy, but now the weight of that betrayal extends to the Male Tribe. She might not know these men personally but she knows that hurting Natsu's loved ones doesn't forebode well. If they get hurt by her need to leave, coming to accept her only to find out she didn't accept them, then that sub-sequentially affects Natsu. He might have taken her away from one home but he made another home for her in return for his selfish acts.

* * *

**XxXxXxX**

* * *

The wind shakes the house something fierce, having Lucy look up to the creaking ceiling and keeping an eye on it in case it blows away. She's never been fond of wind, with its powerful force able to knock away trees, homes and lives at the ready. It's like a demon demanding to be let into the house to suck the air from your lungs, to batter the body with its punches of energy and up-heave your peaceful day. This particular gust of wind sends a tree limb falling to the ground, big enough to rattle the house a little and let her know how unnerving this storm is becoming. It might not be a storm with rain and roaring thunder but, to Lucy, when it's this windy it might as well be the worst storm to ever come about.

It doesn't help at the moment that evil spirits are being shed away from her inner body, knotting her stomach into hopeless ties and giving her a slight nausea that comes and goes. Normally once a month, ill-intent spirits, ghosts and demons that have invaded a woman's body through her Blessed Passage get shed away like blood from a river. Since meeting Natsu, that time for Lucy was skipped for a long while, immensely worrying her that she was going to be possessed by bad spirit. Now that the time has come, she's more relieved to have that pain in her lower back then anything. With all the stress and new experience happening in her life, she can only assume that was the reason her red river was kept at bay for so long.

This monthly ritual started late in the morning while Natsu was gone, out on his usual hunt and exercise routine. Lucy could tell it had started from the cramping in her lower stomach; a universal sign to any lady the devil has come. Luckily, she's been smart about this, and since returning with a sprain ankle she's been secretly gathering cloths to prepare for the inevitable. Unfortunately, she still hasn't figured out how she's supposed live with Natsu during this time.

She tried to ask delicately not too long ago if bleeding was something males did, but Natsu's utter confusion quickly answered her otherwise. In a sense, she's jealous males don't have to go through such a thing but, when she thinks about it, it makes sense considering their Sacred Rods ... Anyway, she's hoping that the herbs and spices she's using as a perfume will cover up the smell of blood from Natsu, not wanting him to find out. It'd be too embarrassing to try and have him figure her out like some play thing when all she wants to do is let this time pass and be as comfortable as possible during it. The one thing she can't hide from him, though, is her heightened irritation and stiffness, and she can only pray that his running mouth doesn't upset her.

Natsu comes barreling through the doorway with the harsh wind at his back, sending the treated buffalo skin flapping away and pushing him to the ground. Lucy can't help but give a hearty laugh seeing his utter defeat by Mother Nature. He leans up on a forearm, heaving out a large sigh and wringing the neck of the large pheasant he's caught.

"You can't handle the wind?" she snickers.

He frowns hard. "Can too. The weather is getting nasty. I bet the next storm we get is going to come down with rain like mad."

"You can tell that autumn is around corner."

He brushes off the dirt from his face and clothing. He ties a rope around the neck of the dead bird and hangs it above the ice-box on a hook. "I'm just looking forward to the Equinox Festival," he says.

At the nest, Lucy has been stitching furs together using a mixture of smaller animal hides, creating a new article of clothing for herself. In the meantime, she's reluctantly taken to borrowing some of Natsu's warmer hides with the days getting shorter and the nights longer. He's made her pelts of dried elk and deer skin but she's never been one to wear the same garment for more than a week. After that, she must soak it in the river, wash it out and hang to dry in the light of the Big Igny, otherwise it feels disgusting to not have it properly cleaned. Plus, during this time of the month, despite there being a small Igny heating the space and a heavy pelt draped over her shoulders, Lucy can't help but shiver. It's as if the more blood she loses through her Blessed Passage the colder her body becomes.

Natsu notices her shake and adds a few logs to the Igny. "Have you seen Happy?"

Pausing to think, she slowly shakes her head. "No, last I saw him was a little bit before the Big Igny came up."

"That jerk. He's been running off without telling me. What's his deal?"

"Maybe he's breaking away on his own."

"No way," he says, going to sit by her. "We've been together for a long time, there's no way Happy would want to be anywhere else."

"Then I'm afraid I can't answer you."

He inhales a large breath of air in frustration and slowly lets it out, brushing his bangs back between his fingers. But when the breath is fully released, he looks to Lucy quizzically. Distracted with her sewing, as she doesn't want to prick her finger—_again—_she doesn't notice the way he gets a little closer to her. It's when his sniffing becomes pointed and his stare scrutinizing, burning holes through her tingling skin, that she cautiously turns to him.

"Yes …?" she asks.

His eyes narrow. "You smell funny."

She lowers the furs to her lap in shock. Has he noticed so quickly?! She tries to laugh it off. "It's nothing. I accidentally fell into a … a funny smellin' herb, that's it, and I haven't been able to get the scent off."

It's not surprising when Natsu doesn't believe her, judging from the way he raises an eyebrow and juts a corner of his mouth down. Lucy could hear the way her own laugh was fake and forceful. Lying never was her forte.

He leans towards her on his hands and steals her heartbeat when he presses his nose into the crook of her neck, taking pointed whiffs of her skin. "I can smell a little blood and something plain weird. Did you get hurt?" he asks concerned.

How can she explain this?! She's never had to do such a thing before, as every female once they reach a certain age knows what this is and therefore have no need to truly talk about it unless for comfort or advice. Certain females have no trouble talking about the devils red river, such as Erza who is always obvious when that time of the month comes for her, spiking her rage into something to truly fear. For Lucy, this is normally taken as a privet manner that she doesn't want to bother others with.

She gets the air punched out of her when Natsu gently presses his knuckles against her stomach. She's about to flee to the other side of the hut and simultaneously scream when a cheerful voice has him back away.

"That wind is a killer," Happy says.

Both humans snap their heads to the doorway when the little cat comes crashing through the buffalo hide that continues to flap every so often in the wind.

Thankful for the distraction, Lucy quickly asks where Happy has been.

He grooms his fur down to keep it neat and clean, chuckling in mischief. "I've been around."

"Around the_ tribe_ or …?" Natsu asks agitated.

"I'll tell you later."

"Later would be now. You've been actin' weird and I don't like it."

He walks over to them with a haughty wave of his paw in dismiss. "I need to figure out a few things and then you can meet it."

"Huh? That makes no sense."

He reaches forward to try and snatch Happy into his hands but the cat is light on his feet. He dashes behind Lucy who he uses as a shield. "Help, he's being mean," he whimpers sadly.

"Natsu, leave him alone," she sighs. "If he doesn't want to tell you, he doesn't have to."

"Yeah, he does. He's supposed to be my friend!" he hisses.

"As long as he's not causing trouble, Happy's allowed to his own secretes."

They stare each other down, male vs. female, eyes sharp and stubbornness even sharper between the two. Natsu lets out a low, throaty growl to try and intimate her but she's not having it. She's used to the sound and knows the difference in tone between an empty threat and a real temptation for him to bite down on someone's throat. They've been through this before, Natsu always saying that she would let Happy get away with anything, murder included. It gives the cat an unfair advantage just because he's cute. But Lucy knows that Natsu's too much of a softy on the inside to not let her have her way.

He huffs and turns his face away. "Fine, but you can't hide him forever."

She smiles triumphantly and reaches around to pat Happy on the back, but the cat doesn't look to her. Instead of seeing a smirk and a sparkle in his eyes from having won the argument, he buries his nose into the coyote pelt she has wrapped around her.

When she's about to ask what he's doing, his eyebrows furrow. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"I can smell blood."

Oh no, not him, too! She stiffens and clenches her hands in her lap. Those wild herds aren't helping at all. Natsu she always sort of knew there was no getting around with his sense of smell but there is no way she's going to explain what's happening to little Happy, as well. She'd rather let these demons kill her.

"That's what I said but she's being strange about it," Natsu agrees. "Fess up. Where are you hurt? I can smell it's by your stomach."

"Seriously, I'm fine, you two. Quit getting worked up," she dismisses.

"I don't like this …"

"As long as you're okay," Happy says, patting her back. "I have to get going, though. I came back only for some fish."

He goes to where the fish are stored away in the ice-box, having Natsu groan in agitation and slap his hand against the floor. "You can't keep this secrete forever, ya know."

"I won't. I promise. You only need to give me a little more time," he says, fish in hand.

Lucy realizes in utter surprise that whatever this is about, it's important to Happy. He has a rainbow trout in his hands, a type of fish he never shares with anyone and eats only for special occasions.

"That fish …" Natsu mutters.

Happy hops back towards the door, saying quickly. "I'll see you two later. I hope your wound heals up nice and tight by the time I get back, Lucy!" The cat bursts through the wall of wind outside of the hut, soaring away to fight against the elements and leaving them to stew in their confusion.

"What is _with_ him?!" Natsu shouts.

"I guess we'll have to wait until he's comfortable enough to tell us. Maybe he's training," Lucy suggests.

He crosses his arms tightly. "He'd normally let me in on somethin' like that."

"Plotting to take over the world?"

"Too stupid to try."

"Wow, you have a lot faith in your friend. How about appeasing the Gods and showing an offering? That could explain the fish."

"If he's offering food to the Gods then he's really fucked up on something. I should have known by now if he had."

"Has he given food before …?"

Natsu explains how Happy almost got Mas Ter's Sacred Rod chopped off with a hatchet. Through a series of clumsiness and too small of a body holding too large of a weapon, the hatchet went soaring through the air and landed square near Mas Ter's balls. Happy prostrated himself by offering a month's worth of fish to the Matriarch of the world, since it was the only way the Gods and Mas Ter could forgive Happy.

The bridge of Lucy's nose wrinkles. "I might not have balls but getting hurt by a hatchet sounds bad either way."

"I'll get the answer out of him soon enough," Natsu nods hard. He swerves on his butt, turning to face her head on. It's not a good sign. "Back to you. If you got hurt, then you need to show me."

"Do you think Happy's planning to run away?"

"Lucy …"

"What about—?"

"I know what you're doing. Stop it," he orders. "You're horrible at crap like that."

She sighs down to her lap and apologizes.

"Why don't you want to show me? Is the cut somewhere weird?"

"I'm not hurt. Really, I'm telling the truth."

"Then what am I smelling?"

"It is blood but at the same time its not …"

Natsu verbally keeps quiet, but his dull expression says all on what he thinks of her explanation.

"I don't feel good, is all. For the next while I won't. There's a part of me being torn away," she says.

"You're dying?!" he asks horrified.

"What—no, I'm not! I never said that. Don't jump to conclusion and listen to me."

The longer Lucy goes on about what's happening to her, the slacker Natsu's jaw gets. She tells all that she can in the simplest of terms for him to understand. All the while, she can't bring herself to look at him, sticking her eyes to her hands that quickly kneed the half-made pelt in her lap. Her face burns like a thousand Big Igny's and her voice cracks every couple of sentences but she refuses to let her words drift away. She has to explain, otherwise she knows that he'll start panicking the longer he smells blood. She's willing to bet that if left unexplained, he'd eventually try and 'save' her through strange means. While humbling to know of how much he cares for her, sometimes he cares too much.

"I don't understand how you're not dead," he says in disbelief. "If a man bled for five days, he'd be under with the fishes."

"The Gods protect females during this time and give us strength. Its how I'm able to get through some of those days where the pain is enough to keep me in the nest."

"You don't seem to be in pain right now."

"No, it's the beginning of it all, so I don't feel the pain as of yet. Give it a day or two and then I'll be rolling on the floor. Also, I apologize in advance if I get snippety with you."

"I'm used to it."

Her eyebrows lower. "Not what you should say."

Natsu's eyes widen a little, hopefully getting the message that his lose-lips might get him into trouble more easily than normal with this going on. Anyone bleeding out of their crotch would be pissed.

He looks to the nest then back to her in uncertainty. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Not really," she says softer. "A warm cloth against my stomach helps and brewed ginger does, as well."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

His concern drifts away some of her embarrassment. Lucy, at the very least, is happy he's not laughing about it or trying to get away from her as if she's cursed. She's pretty sure that he doesn't fully understand all that she told him but it's cute to see him worry.

"I'll live. You really don't have to concern yourself," she says.

A gust of wind blows through, rattling the hut and sending the buffalo hide flapping. Natsu quickly gets up to tie the hide down to the edges of the doorway, trying to keep that horrible wind at bay. Lucy can't help but duck a little; lowering her head and having her shoulders pinch inward. The house creeks and moans, saying that the wind may be too much for it to handle. It's like listening to a dying beast cry out.

Natsu secures the last corner of the buffalo hide to the door frame near the ground. "This wind is getting nasty. Good thing we have extra food stored away so we don't have to go back out soon."

She sighs and takes her eyes away from the ceiling. "Your first concern would be food."

Somewhere outside, a tree branch breaks away from its trunk and falls hard to the ground, having her jump at the sound and clutching her pelt a little closer to her abdomen. She waits for the roof to come crashing down.

He stops before he can sit beside her once again, steadily watching her. "You don't like this, do you?"

"The wind? Yeah, I hate it," she admits, burrowing into her coyote pelt a little closer.

"What for?"

"It creates a mess; things fall and I just hate it. … When I was little, a tree fell down on the home I was sleeping in. Since then, there's something about the wind I can't help but be afraid of."

His lips tighten and he looks to the ground. That thoughtful expression doesn't last long when he suddenly smiles, quickly going to a little woven basket and pushing around the things inside. He sticks his nose into the opening with his eager searching's, digging into the bottom of the basket. His behavior has Lucy curiously watch him.

"Ah, here it is," he says quietly.

He takes out a small grass-woven bag from the basket, an item she's never seen before. She's cleaned this place thoroughly and while it is true that she can't remember every single item she's sorted through, she does remember a good majority of it, but that little grass bag deludes her.

He then goes to the wooden box she organized the more random items into—strings, arrow-heads, bone needles and whatever else she couldn't find a proper place for. Natsu sits in front of the box with his back facing and gets to work on whatever he has in mind.

"What are you making?" Lucy asks, leaning to the side to try and see what he's messing with.

"Wait a second," he grins.

"Don't start being like Happy and keeping secretes, too."

"You'll like this. All you gotta do is wait."

She shrugs as a silent answer to him and goes back to her sewing, pretending to lose interest but eagerly waiting to see what he's up to. In the time it takes for Natsu to do whatever he's doing, she pricks herself two more times thanks to the wind acting up. This stupid, little fear of hers can really jeopardize her life at times. Every once in a while, she'll hear Natsu swear under his breath, muttering frustrations and bringing what he's working on closer to his face, as if that will somehow make things easier. It's when a faint glow reflects in the corner of her eyes that she looks up from her sewing. The glow is coming from Natsu, more specifically his right hand, a burning light like molten lava pouring over his skin. She knows it's his Igny magic but it's never been summoned that brightly before.

Lucy gasps. "_What _are you doing?"

He smiles joyfully and the Igny before him dies down. "Close your eyes and hold out your hands."

"Please don't put anything gross in them," she says uncertain.

She cups her hands together out in front of her and slowly does as told. There's a sense of nervousness going into this blind, knowing that his enthusiasm can translate into something weird—he once found joy in eating the spiciest food to ever come to life in this world, a pepper that would make any normal human die from the heat alone.

Pelts shuffle and Natsu's body weight drops to sit before her in the nest, the shift in temperate almost making her want to laugh, as he's a walking heat source. She can smell how close he's gotten, the scent of forest pine and a type of white ash drifting over her blushing face. When his fingers brush against hers, a jolt runs up her arms and the senses in her body heighten to his presence. Lucy has to tell herself that this isn't something to get nervous about. He drops something on a string into her palms, moving her hands to tightly cup the object. He squeezes her hands together, the heat of his skin making her want to duck her head in shyness.

"Imagine what makes you feel strong. Think of protection and happiness. Think of it _real_ hard and concentrate that feeling into your hands. If you don't like the wind, then this will keep it at bay. Believe that this will protect you," Natsu instructs.

Lucy does as told, understanding what's happening. She's done this before with other amber, stalagmites and jades, putting spiritual strength into an object to influence its use. Natsu must have made a protection stone for her, that's what all the fuss was about. To some, putting their faith in a rock can seem idiotic; a waste of time, but she can see the importance to it. If she can talk to the stars then she can believe in her own spirit enough to instill it into an object.

She imagines a type of haze surrounding her, white and flowing like glittered mist heading out from her body and gathering into the object at hand. She images that all of her insecurities for the wind, for the trees that could fall and for the house that could be lost, are being pushed back from the protective force she gathers into this corner stone of her life. She doesn't have to be afraid of the wind. Not anymore.

Natsu squeezes her hands tighter, rattling her concentration but for a moment when a new realization comes to mind. This stone is a representation of Natsu trying to make her feel better, forged with the Igny in his blood and instilling a burning desire to make sure she never feels alone or afraid again. He's here to protect her, whether by him being physical here or by spirit alone.

Lucy smiles softly while keeping her eyes closed.

Natsu lightly lifts her hands up and brings them back down just as gently. As if in a hand shake of agreement, the deed is done. "Alright, I think you're good," he says.

She snaps her eyes open and eagerly waits for him to remove his hands to let her see what kind of stone he's given her. When he does, she finds a wine-red amulet reflecting with lines of gold, a field of poppy flowers with golden rivers running through it. The stone has been welded to pieces of melted stone copper, keeping it securely in place for a thin rope to be pushed through the little hoop Natsu made at the tip of it. Of course, the welding job isn't perfect, some spots look as if the copper got burnt black and the melted copper was twisted into a sort of wiring that's jagged in places, but none of that matters to Lucy.

"It's beautiful," she says in awe.

Natsu chuckles with a bashful scratch to the back of his head. "I found that in the river the day after you first came here. I always thought of it as a good luck charm."

"Natsu … thank you so much." She puts the charm on, the rope long enough to easily let her head slip through and have the amulet sit comfortably on her chest, glimmering in the light of the Igny near them.

"I knew it would look good on you," he nods in approval.

"Do you know what amulets represent?"

His head tilts to the side, saying he doesn't.

"They are said to bring health to those wearing them. To provide protection against loss of air to the chest and the rising of anger in the gut." She can't help but laugh and pat her stomach. "It's almost ironic you've given me this type of stone with these demons being shed away."

He barks out a laugh. "Then a two for a one! Hah, wait 'till I tell Happy."

"Oh, about that, I was hoping you wouldn't say anything about what my bodies doing. Don't tell him. Or any other male, in fact," she says hesitant.

"How come? I'm sure Happy wouldn't mind."

"Yes, but I would. I don't want everyone to know about this." Lucy quickly thinks of a way to explain why. Though the words she chooses aren't necessarily true, it'll be enough for Natsu to understand better instead of simply saying it's embarrassing. "I'm weak during this time. The less people know about it, the less danger I'm in."

His back straightens. "Ah, I get it. I'm sure Happy could keep this a secrete, look at what he's already doing, but if you don't want him to know … then I guess that's fine." He thumps a fist against his chest, having the hollowness of his upper body ring with pride. "You can count on me to keep you safe during this time."

She sighs relieved. "Thank a lot."

Reaching out to him, Lucy presses her lips to his in a quick peck.

Sitting back, she finds a look of surprise on Natsu face, strangely holding still with his hands clenched in his lap. She's noticed that he does that at times whenever they kiss. It makes Natsu look off, which is saying something because he's weird in a lot of aspects. It's strange how he can be confident when he's the one going to her, never batting an eyelash with his kisses, but when it's _her_ that goes to him, he can sometimes have problems. He'll stiffen up like he's doing now, not knowing how to react and will surprisingly go quiet. At times, he'll even shuffle his feet from side to side if he's standing up. She doesn't have a clue how to understand his behavior considering kissing is such a new thing between them. Maybe he's not used to receiving affection when he's the one that normally shows it firstly to gain a reaction?

That look quickly gives way to a sharp smirk. "Come on, I give you this awesome gift and that's all the thanks I get," Natsu says.

"No, I'm not playing this game with you tonight," she frowns.

"It's no game."

He lingers close enough that Lucy can feel his breath brush across the skin of her cheek, a chill running across her wherever that rush of air goes. She ignores the attraction she has towards the heat he gives off, the warmth and the contentment ... She also ignores the way he leans towards her, showing off the nimble strength of his arms and the curve of his back ... Okay, she_ tries_ to ignore him. After explaining everything she can and being gifted an amulet there's only so much her heart can take in one day before it explodes. Which emotion will win out to cause such a thing firstly? Embarrassment or delight?

He presses his mouth to hers and it's nothing like the quick peck she graced upon him. He firmly keeps his mouth on hers. She forces herself to keep her place, unable to help but back her head up slight. It's not that she wants to get away from him ... maybe in a sense she does, but that emotion only comes about because this game Natsu plays can make her so shy she almost wants to run for the hills. If it wasn't for the attraction she has for him, she doesn't thinking kissing would be all that hard to do.

They've pecked lips often ever since their first encounter. Mostly, their kisses are thanks to Natsu, as he's never had any trouble showing Lucy how much she's come to mean to him. Either that or it's because he's never had a sense of boundary from the start. He finds her embarrassment in getting near one another funny, teasing her a lot of the time by trying to keep his mouth near hers like he's doing now, getting the upper hand in their rough-housing. She wasn't keen on kissing much when they first starting showing affection towards one another. It was hard enough at times to watch Natsu go about his day! To suddenly get close enough to him that she could see the emotion in his dark green eyes would about make Lucy faint under the right circumstances, this being one of them. He gives her a beautiful gift and then kisses her with such vigor that its almost insane!

Lucy might be shy about their kisses often but when she's too happy to be aware of her shyness, it's the only time she doesn't feel like fainting. She will gratefully want to show her appreciation towards Natsu and kissing is the only way she feels she can properly express herself in doing so at times. Also, it's been a good way for her to slowly get used to such close contact with him. One time, bringing home a particular type of pheasant to eat earned him a firm kiss that she gladly showered upon him. During another moment, he came and helped her pick ripened apples to bring home, compelling a kiss to come along.

"Okay, okay, I get it, back up," Lucy smiles, pressing a hand against his chest. God's, simply feeling his muscles under her hands! She needs to get a little control over herself.

Natsu sits down in front of her with a smug smirk plastered to his face, laughing low under his breath.

The wind howls outside, having the house call out its displeasure at the powerful force. Out of natural reaction, she looks up to the ceiling, but the wind is also a reminder of what sits against her skin now. She clutches the red and gold amulet, taking comfort in its—and his—presence.

He smiles. "See, you'll be fine."

She squares her shoulder and smiles broadly. "You're right."

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**Originally there was simply a few paragraphs summarizing what it was like for Lucy to meet the Male Tribe but I realized that the boys play a bigger role in the story then that. They don't deserve to be glossed over.**

**I wasn't too sure if the later half of the chapter was needed but at the same time I felt I couldn't ignore it, either. It made for some creative ways to explain periods, I'll say that much.**

**Alrighty! Please leave a review and tell me what you guys think of the chapter! Thank you!**


	13. Harvest Moon: Part One

**Harvest Moon: Part One**

* * *

Lucy sets her eyes to the horizon, watching the way it begins to haze into a deeper yellow as the Big Igny gets closer to the ground. Bright white dots coat the heavens, stars of the biggest kind slowly coming out to give their greetings. She pays close attention to the way Aeries hesitantly says hello, a faint glow in the sky but ever present to her. Of course, Aquarius is the most blinding of all the constellation and throws a shooting star at her in retaliation for her weakness in willingly staying with a male. Having grown up with such a violent horoscope, Lucy is used to Aquarius's ranting and raving at the smallest things. She likes to interpret it as concern for her safety.

"It's been a while but I would give it one more day to dry out," Natsu says, rubbing his hands together in satisfaction at his work.

Every part of the caribou he caught has been stripped of its fat, meat either eaten ravenously by them or stored away for later temptations. It's fluffy fur of light brown melting into pure white at its edges has been brushed clean and treated with a layer of salt. As of now, the pelt has string woven along it's edges, allowing it to be be pulled tight against a rack of sticks, it's handle forced into the ground. The caribou pelt faces the direction of the Big Igny where it comes up every morning, drying from its intense heat.

"I can't wait to wear it," Lucy sighs dreamily.

"You could always continue to wear my stuff. I don't get why you gotta have a new pelt for every single day," Natsu says.

"Because it's cleaner that way. You should take my advise. Besides, your pelts are a little big for me."

When borrowing Natsu's pelts, she constantly has to make sure that they don't slide off her shoulders. She would close most of the open vests—as it's hard to find a top that isn't open at the front, as Natsu likes his pelts made that way—by shoving a couple of sharp bones through the front to pin them close. She'd also tie a rope around her waist to properly keep the matching wraps up, lest she let those fall, too. The other pelts she's sewn for herself are … not of the best quality. It's honestly impressive Natsu can treat animal skins like he does. He's made her a few pelts but this new one made of caribou she's too excited to wear. It'll be the last one needed in order to maker sure she has a fresh pelt to wear every day.

Lucy glances at the sky once again and fiddles with her fingers behind her back. "Hey, I was thinking, would you and Happy mind coming out with me to see the stars? It's a harvest moon tonight and I don't want to miss it."

His head tilts to the side. "Harvest moon?"

"It's a sign of the seasons changing. Normally my tribe would celebrate its change, gather food, sing and do other stuff. Since I'm not with them, I don't know, I thought maybe you'd like try it out. It looks like it's going to be the perfect night for it."

Happy comes around the house with a freshly caught Sun Fish in his paws. "We do that, too, but we call it the Autumn Equinox Festival," he grins.

Her spirit dampens hearing that but she tries not to show it. The boys are going to want to celebrate with their tribe, and while she's sure they'll invite her to go to the male Equinox Festival, it's not the same. She wants to celebrate with the traditions she's grown up with, things she misses and wants to share with Natsu, since he's already shared so much with her. Plus, the thought of returning to the male tribe for such an occasion would ruin the entire night, thinking that the moment they lay eyes on her the males are going to most likely bombard her and never leave her alone. They're used to seeing her but not yet to where they treat her like anyone else in the tribe. She still stands out a little too much.

"Ah, so it's another thing humans do no matter where they are from," Lucy says. "Well, that's fine. I'm sure the other males will want to have you guys around for the festival."

"It's a fun time, alright. Every year Max gets drunk and does what he calls his 'happy dance'. I like to think it's a tribute to yours truly," the cat says playful, puffing out his chest.

"It's no more a dance than it is a shiver," Natsu smirks.

"And then by the end of the night, he'll become acquainted with the nearest stick."

She raises an eyebrow. "He'll what?"

"He gets a stick shoved up his ass," Natsu says.

"That sounds horrible!"

"For him, sure, but for us it's hilarious."

"I don't understand you males sometimes …"

"You're going to have to tell the others I'm not going this year, Happy. This will be my first equinox with Lucy. No way am I going to miss it. Besides, it doesn't matter where I am as long as their's food. You should seriously come with us, Buddy."

"No thanks," he says muffled, softly nibbling on the head of his fish. "Why don't you have Lucy come to the party with us?"

He snorts annoyed. "If they're weird around her when sober, I don't want to imagine the stir Lucy would cause when they're drunk."

"Whatever you say," Happy shrugs. Jumping up, he brings out his white wings and beats them rapidly to keep himself in the air. He clutches the sun fish to his chest like treasure to make sure it doesn't fall to the dirty ground. "You two have fun. I'm leaving early, since there's something I gotta do before the party starts. I'll return when I can."

"Bye, Happy!" Lucy calls out, waving goodbye as he flies off.

Her excitement returns tenfold at Natsu's willingness to celebrate this occasion with her. She tells him how great it is to have him do this and that it's something she definitely doesn't want to miss out on. Before he can say anything, she eagerly runs into the hut and grabs her woven basket, gathering small items of food to carry off into the woods for the night.

Natsu lightly pushes aside the buffalo hide to peek through the doorway, cautious of her sudden enthusiasm. "You want to do this now? Normally the guys wait until the Big Igny in the sky is asleep."

"Yes, I don't want to wait any longer. We have to praise it early while the Big Igny and the moon are in the sky at the same time—one rising, one setting. We have to watch the moon rise from the edge of the ground up to the highest peak."

Lucy exits the hut with a few heavy pelts draped over her head, as her arms are occupied with a full basket of fruit, herbs and soft bark to chew on. He takes the pelts off f her head with a chuckle; rusting her pony-tail and having them laugh harder at the absurd look.

"Where did you have in mind to go?" he asks, following her lead and walking into the darkening forest.

"I saw a meadow near once before. I always thought it would make the perfect spot."

Heading to said area, Lucy doesn't factor in the tree roots that curl up from the ground in the vast forest, trying to twist her bad ankle along the way, as it only fully healed recently. On more than one occasion, Natsu catches the poor girl before she can fall to the ground. His dragon senses must gives him an easy time seeing in the dark, she thinks envious. Eventually he takes to leading the way, knowing of the meadow she speaks of and acting as a guide for her to following, seeing where to place her feet. Despite carrying three heavy pelts, he continues to have enough strength to gather sticks and logs along the way, pilling them in his strong arms.

It's when the ground opens up and the sky swallows the land that light can finally be found. A sea of soft grass catches Lucy's tongue and steals her breath, covering the entire open plain and lightly swaying in the breeze, rusting around their ankles and tickling her with their gentle caresses. The forest line around the meadow creates a circle of trees, and while Mother Autumn has official come into play, the trees remain a bright green, perhaps a tint of red and brown standing out here or there. To one side of the dark purple sky, the Big Igny has begun to set and to the other side the moon is taking its place, having already come above the tree line faster than anticipated. It's out in the open that the night chill really captures the body, the temperature dropping suddenly enough to have teeth chatter and the gut clench.

The most amazing thing is the full moon this year, having a faint tint of red to it, standing out against the gray clouds and the black of the sky.

"Wow, this is awesome!" Natsu says in awe, walking with Lucy towards the center of the meadow. "But I guess we took longer than you might have thought to get here. We missed seeing the moon and Big Igny up at the same time."

"Not quite. I can see the Big Igny between the trees," she says optimistic.

Towards the other end of the meadow, they find a spot of a grass perfect for them to settle down in. Natsu drops the sticks he's gathered and spreads out one of the pelts for them, squishing down the tall grass with his feet and stomping over the pelt to create a smoother surface.

"It's cool to see the moon do that! Like a dragon set its breath on it," he grins.

"You said your dad was a dragon, right? Can you tell me a little more about him?" she asks hesitantly.

Having never truly gotten on this strange topic after it was discussed only once before, as it's hard to imagine such a fierce creature with a kind enough heart to raise a human child, she hopes that she hasn't pushed a thorn into Natsu's side asking about it.

"Dad was super awesome. Ten times bigger than you and me and able to breathe Igny like it was nothing. He took out an entire damn mountain side to prove a point to me once!" He turns his eyes up to the blood moon, staring at it but not truly seeing it. "I had no one but him when I was small, Igneel being the earliest memory I have … But despite him disappearing, I don't want to give up thinking he's still alive out there. There's no way he would have went and left like that without a reason."

She sets the basket of food down, gently sitting on the flattened pelt. "I don't know too much about dragons but I heard from Wendy that her dragon left almost seven years ago."

"_Really_?" He quickly drops to sit beside her. "Igneel left seven years ago. Did Wendy's dragon say why?"

"No. Wendy said her dragon sort of left one day."

"Gajeel's dragon left at the same time, too. There's got to be some reason why they all left at the same time." He sighs harsh and crosses his arms. "If they told someone or somethin' about this, none of us would be worried for their hides."

"I'm sure wherever Igneel is he's thinking of you," she smiles.

He looks back up to the harvest moon once again, the pull of it's beautiful aura turning ones eyes towards it without thought, and Natsu gives gentle pull of his lips. He doesn't saying anything beyond a small, sentimental nod.

He burns away the grass before them and begins to dig a hole to place the sticks he's gathered inside. Once arranging it to how he likes, with a palm full of Igny he easily forces the darkness around them to back away. Between the glow of the moon and the growing Igny, the darkness is no longer threatening but rather heightens the sense of beauty the land gives off tonight, silhouetting the trees, having the array of stars stand out that much more and letting the soft touch of color in the leaves come out.

Getting off the sad topic of Natsu's parental figure, Lucy tries—and easily succeeds with his ever-chipper mood—to distract him with the food she brought. While she knows he would prefer deer or boar's meat, the nuts, berries and other foods brought along he scarfs down without hesitation. Before the harvest moon and the spirit of Earth, they call with howls of praise and songs of folktales. They duet about a new season of hope with the changing of the land, pushing aside summer and basking the land in cool days and colorful trees. Out in the field, Lucy attempts a traditional dance in a display that would be considered graceful if not for the slippery grass that she constantly trips on. Natsu is unable to sing any longer, the sight of her feet kicking out from under and having her fall to the ground a hysterical sight for him. Between a girl unable to dance and a boy with a slight def-tone singing voice, it's not the most elegant of festival rituals.

"You better stop before you really hurt yourself," Natsu laughs, leaning back on the pelt.

Lucy rubs her bruised hip. "I swear I'm normally a good dancer," she grumbles, getting up from the ground.

"That'd be a sight to see. Right now you're giving the moon such a laugh you're going to make it piss."

"I think you're speaking for yourself." The red moon has risen high above them, whispering in and out between clouds. "I wish we had some mead."

"I do, too. Should have taken some from the guys this morning," he says.

"Do you drink the mead?"

"Duh. How do you think everyone gets piss-faced?"

"Oh, in my old tribe, we don't drink it. We offer it to the harvest moon."

"Sounds like a waste of a good drink."

Having enough of the cold night creeping up on her, along with the dew of the grass clinging to her skin, Lucy quickly goes back to the Igny and grabs one of the pelts brought along, bundling up in it next to Natsu with a tremble. Searching for another pelt, she surprisingly finds that she didn't grab three pelts like she initially thought. Gently biting her lower lip, she eyes Natsu and thinks to herself that despite his body being abnormally hot thanks to his magic, he must still be able to get cold.

She slowly opens the wrap around her as an invitation. "Do you want to share?"

He smiles bright, the look enough to stutter her heart. "Sure."

They sit close together and are easily able to wrap the large bear pelt around them without fuss. It's such a blessing that Natsu's affinity is heat, because the warmth he gathers under the pelts is to die for. In the endearment of the night, Lucy is in such peace being with him that not even the swirling in her gut due to shyness makes her want to give this up. His close presence raises the finest hair on the body and she swears his scent is all she can gather in this forest, no pine, no grass—only Natsu.

"If you were cold you should have said so," she says.

He lightly pushes his upper arm against hers. "Nah, I just like being near you."

She's unable to comment on such a nonchalant confession, both due to Natsu continuing on and because of the way his words make her forget how to speak momentarily. He talks about what the other males are most likely doing right now, dancing like coals are under their feet and shouting to the moon like the wolves that rule this land. Being this far away from the tribe, she hears nothing but the quiet rustling of the grass as mice and birds scurry through the meadow.

A pattern of stars above twinkle in hello to her. _Good to see you doing well, Princess._

"Oh, oh, look!" Lucy insists.

In his eyes, Natsu sees nothing but regular stars. "What? I don't get it," he frowns.

She brings her arm out from the warmth of their cocoon and points straight up ahead where the stars form a pattern that she can clearly see. "That's Virgo saying hello to me. Then there's also Taurus and Gemini."

"I still don't see them."

"Look up. See that pattern to the right? The stars all connect to form what are called horoscopes. These are the signs that speak to me, like the wind speaks to Wendy or ice speaks to Gray. From a young age Aquarius, one of the horoscopes, often spoke to me. Although she's not the nicest …"

**I heard that, you little bitch.**

_**I'm apologize ... **_Lucy thinks quickly.

Going back to the sky, Natsu says. " I don't understand. How are people in the stars? They're just random dots."

"Would it be alright if I grabbed your hand?" she asks slowly. It's stupid that she has to ask such a thing, as they've had more personal contact before, but under these soft circumstances, it feels right to ask.

His eyes widen slightly. "Yeah, sure."

Pushing past the racing of her heart, she grabs the back of his hand and pulls it out from under the pelt, directing all of his fingers to lay down but for the pointer finger. She places her own hand above his and uses his finger like a rod to connect the stars that sit at the tip of his finger, showing him how the stars connect to form these horoscopes. Expecting the jump in her heart, she holds herself steady and tries not to let shyness overtake her.

Lucy explains. "Taurus is a bull. A little perverted but always there to give me strength when need be. Next up is Aeries, the Ram. Shy little spirit but she's super cute. She's the one that helped us out. Leo is a lion, kind of perverted like Taurus is but reliable."

She finally finds that those stars have penetrated past the darkness in Natsu's eyes to shine in their depths. "It's hard to believe that these things talk to you. It's crazy but cool," he says breathless.

"Most don't believe in them. The legend of these creatures has slowly died out over time."

"Are all of them female?"

"Surprising enough, not all of them are!" she says, eager to share her discovery. "I always assumed they were female, but after I came here I was told by Leo that he was male all along! That was a surprise but, okay, at the same time maybe not so much considering his behavior. It explains a lot more about him. Anyway, a few of them are female and some are male."

Natsu lowers their arms back under the pelt and Lucy takes that as the signal to give his hand back, quickly letting him go. That is until he reaches for her, pulling her hand back into his and holding their cupped hands together against his knee. She answers his gesture with a gleeful smile and a soft downturn of her eyes.

"Why didn't they say some of them were guys in the first place?" Natsu asks confused.

"I don't think it really mattered to them," she shrugs. "What's the difference to a horoscope? Or, more likely, some of them were teasing me for not knowing what males were in the first place. I wouldn't be surprised. The only thing that bothers me is that I can't really see them nor hear their voices, so all this time I couldn't really tell the differences in who they were until they told me."

"Wait, I thought you could hear them?"

"I can but only through the soul. It's hard to explain. Their voices are distinct for me but at the same time tone wise ... they're not. I can just sort of ... _tell_ who's talking to me when spoken."

"I've noticed that some of the animals in the forest have distinct markings to tell which are male and female," he comments. "Like those bright red birds we see sometimes."

"Cardinals?"

"Yeah, those things. I think the guys are the really bright red ones. The other cardinals I've seen hanging around the red males look exactly the same in shape but are duller in color. Those have to be the females."

"I don't think I've ever noticed something like that before," Lucy says surprised.

"Try it. It's sort of funny when you look at the birds. Otherwise, it's hard to tell most animals apart. Foxes and boars look the same—it can get downright annoying."

She sighs content and gather's her wits, squeezing Natsu's hand a little. Lucy leans her head against his broad shoulder. "Keep studying them. I'm sure you'll get the hang of it," she whispers.

This is nice. Talking as if they have all the time in the world. The way they sit close to another, sharing heat and stories. How he holds her hand, and while her palm does sweat a little, making her hope that he doesn't mind, she wouldn't pull her hand away for anything. It's almost funny on what a drastic change their relationship has taken. In a small part of her mind, she can't help but be proud, having come a long way. She used to want to back away from Natsu as much as she could, now she looks forward to the contact she has with him.

What does make her anxious is when Natsu's body goes ridged, a slight catch heard in his throat, but it's a short lived reaction as he quickly relaxes and tightens his hold on her hand. She wasn't worried he was going to push her away but it was enough that despite it only being a three second reaction, she can't help but be confused by it. Being a secretive creature that hides behind a smile, Natsu hasn't voiced why he can get tense like that at times around her, but since he also hasn't told her to back away she lets him be.

The air spikes around them, a sudden warmth bringing about a stickiness due to the humidity rising and a heavy mist that weights the body to seem drunk. Lucy's felt these strange changes in the air more than once after meeting Natsu, coming to figure out that his gift for Igny affects the air around him depending on his mood. When he's mad, the air scorches and there's no hint of protection to be seen from it's intensity as everything burns, from the skin, to each inhale of breath in the lungs. Having Natsu become sad or disappointed gives a vapid, lazy approach to the heat. Being content envelopes the air in a soft warmth, surrounded by it in the best way possible that makes the eyes feel heavy in need of sleep. Lucy's gotten used to these atmosphere changes overtime, hardly noticing them anymore but for when there's an extreme sudden shift in Natsu's mood.

She smiles a little, delighted to know exactly how happy he is to be with her, as well.

* * *

**Authors Notes:**

**This is my favorite chapter so far.**

**With work being insane and the holidays coming around, a lot of my time is being occupied right now. Plus, I honestly want to participate in some art events taking place online, and what little free time I have is probably going to be dedicated to that.**

**If you want to continue to see Nalu work from me, my Tumblr and DA under the same username is the perfect place! I draw Nalu all the time.**

**I appreciate everyone's kind reviews! Please, leave another review for this chapter to tell me how it's going!**

**Thank you for your patience.**


	14. Harvest Moon: Part Two

**Harvest Moon: Part Two**

* * *

The Igny crackles and a chunk of wood falls, having ashes float up into the air and dance before the blood-red moon. The night stays enveloped in a warmth that can only be caused by Natsu, the delight Lucy finds sharing a bear pelt with him a sharp difference to how cold the air truly is. Autumn is here, the Equinox Festival being celebrated by them in this very moment. It doesn't seem as if she's been here long enough for this moment to come around. Time has no meaning with this boy.

"You should come with me sometime to watch the animals, to figure out which are male and female," Natsu says. "I'm sure you'd enjoy it, knowing how much you like to stuff information in that head of yours."

"Despite the way you worded that, I wouldn't mind going with you," Lucy agrees.

Silence blankets the night, contentment found within each other's presence. All the while, a beating heart can be heard in her ear. She knows it's her own heart but she likes to imagine that it's Natsu's heavy-handed emotions that beat in his chest.

The moon heads higher and higher to the deepest point in the sky. At this time, she should be feeding it mead to give thanks for all its work in the summer and to give thanks for its upcoming work in the fall, but she can't bring herself to speak, less her voice breaks this trance they've put themselves into. To open her mouth would be to disturb this moment, something she doesn't want. He's so warm …

But Natsu's the one to break the silence ironically. "Hey, Lucy, you know that kiss thing we do? I also learned that from watching the animals."

She chuckles, finding it funny how hard it is for him to stay silent at times. "I was wondering where that came from. Nature can teach you many things."

"I haven't learned everything from watching the animals. Since they can't talk, they can't answer any of the questions I got. One of them …" He pauses in ponder, making a small humming noise. "Sometimes I still don't get being around you."

"What do you mean?" she asks curiously, backing away from his shoulder to look him in the face.

"I've seen other animals make homes with one another, like we're doing, but it doesn't feel the same with you."

"What more could you want?"

"To grab your boobs."

"Natsu!"

"What, you asked. I'm still curious about that power of yours, don't expect me to back down," he chuckles.

She groans and nibbles on her bottom lip. "I'm telling you my chest has nothing to do with your Sacred Rod."

"Whatever the problem might be, it's not like I'm going to do somethin' stupid. If you don't like your chest being touched, then I'll just have to wait until you say so. Though I don't really get what the big deal is."

"Girls are … a lot more sensitive in the chest, let's put it that way," she explains quiet.

"Did I hurt you when I grab them last time?" he asks worried.

"No, not like that. They can feel funny when held in a certain way."

"You're confusing me more …"

"Don't worry about it." She smirks pointed, trying to tease him to divert the topic. "Don't ask me anymore because I'm not going to let you touch my chest again, you big dork."

He goes silent, her playful words unexpectedly turning something in his head. "Nah, if I don't grab your chest again, that's not what matters. Boob's are boobs, who cares?" He says confident. "What I really want is to simply have you by my side."

Lucy's eyes widen and her lower lip catches as her mouth hangs slightly open. She can't think, much less breathe properly.

What kind of confession is he making? How can he casually say something like that? And why does he have to be _that_ blunt about it? More importantly, why do his words affect her like so? This jittering in her bones is like whenever she would watch his body at work, but now words alone make her feel like she's falling apart bit by bit into a puddle of feathers. His kinds words did always mess with her heart but it's much worse now. Good or bad? She can't tell for a whole slew of reasons.

She wants to answer him back. To say that she's glad to know him. That his company brings her joy in a way no one else has ever done. She's told him before how she's happy to have him by her side but those were simple gestures of kindness, nothing profound unlike what he confessed to her moments ago in such causality.

Lucy can't answer him though. Words, sentences and explanations float through her mind but nothing can come out of her mouth, not when something holds her back. There's a lingering 'if' in the way of things, having her simply stay where she is instead of move forward with the future. If Natsu's statement from before had changed into a question, asking her if she would stay by his side forever, Lucy wouldn't have known how to answer him. Continuing to be caught between wanting to stay here and her need to return to the Female Tribe, the only thing she can do keep silent and enjoy the moment while it lasts. She never thought she'd experience the feeling of having her heart torn in two ways lingering below that sky-high fluttering.

Lucy nods gently and snuggles back into Natsu's heat, trying to hide the sadness that creeps into her tone. "I don't think either of us are going anywhere anytime soon." That's not a lie, since she doesn't know what to do.

He chuckles lightly under his breath. "Good. I'm glad you _want_ to stick around now."

To that, she can't say a word.

When a flash of light appears in front of her vision, she pauses in confusion and takes to looking straight ahead, past the Igny, focusing with the intent that what she saw wasn't imagined. In the harsh glow of the flickering flames, it's hard to see but she's sure that there was a faint glow that brightened and dimmed in the night.

Another flash off to her left side.

Then another to the right.

"Oh, look, the fireflies are coming out," she says surprised.

This late into the season, there are perhaps five fireflies that can be counted but it's a miracle enough to see them alone, the souls of these lost children coming out to play. Normally in the wetness of spring and in the humidity of summer they fly in abundance, populating the dark skies with their faint glow that flashes in the night. A few of them must not have gotten the message that summer is over.

Natsu snaps his hands out from under the pelt and cups them together quickly, startling Lucy from his sudden movements that snatches his hand away from hers.

"Caught it," he grins, bringing his cupped hands closer to her.

She eagerly sees the bug with its transparent wings and bulbous backside that periodically glows settle in the palm of his hands. It's not exactly beautiful up close considering it's a bug but she quickly finders herself not caring about that aspect. In the faint firefly glow that dims in and out between his cupped hands, Lucy carefully watches Natsu. His amazement at such a simple creature is overwhelming, having the humming bird in her chest travel down to settle in her stomach, flying like mad there and making one of her hands clench against a thigh. Natsu takes such joy in life—an adorable factor that makes her giggle.

His eyes widen slightly. "What?"

"Nothing. You're cute, is all."

The firefly in his hands makes no noise but moves about frantically, eventually finding its escape between the openings in his fingers. It flies back out into the sky with its other late-bloomer friends.

"They sure are pretty …" Lucy sighs content.

"Yeah, they are," he nods.

She turns away from the dancing fireflies to put her soft stare on Natsu, watching his dark eyes roam the skies to try and follow a particular firefly that repeatedly glows in the midnight air. She's seen him many times before, been by his side for a long while now, but it always makes her inner soul glow to see him go into such a relaxed state. A lot of the time, his brows are lowered over his eye, having some kind of of intense need for a scuffle to take place, making him constantly prepared for a fight, as if it's a natural side affect due to controlling Igny. Having him be content makes moments like this with him that much more exciting. After those darker thoughts tried to overcome Lucy's mind moments ago, to see Natsu so happy is what she needs right now.

"Natsu," she whispers low.

He blinks away the fireflies from his eyes an turns to her—

The strangled grunt he makes in the back of his throat tells that he wasn't expected to be kissed. His lips are rough but entirely firm against her mouth, saying that despite this moment feeling almost to have a weightlessness to it, this isn't a dream brought on by the harvest moon. Their foreheads press together, bangs of strawberry pink and pure gold melding together and tickling the skin. It's strange how his scent changes the moment she brought her nose closer to his skin, resting the tip against his cheek with the kiss. A warm and almost powerful spice clings to him, ginger ripening in the wild of the summer heat.

Lucy wanted to show him how happy she is to be with him, and if words fail then the body won't. She doesn't understand why this need to be closer to him is consuming her from the inside out. The mind might try to reason—that constantly doing something this affectionate could potentially move their bond to unknown territory, scary, life-changing—but this vibrating need within her very self couldn't be pushed away even if she wanted to.

Not feeling Natsu return the kiss, Lucy backs away unsure.

His eyes are wide like the moon and he seems to be having a hard time breathing. That's understandable considering it's a struggle to find air when mouths are occupied. His body stiffens against her side, as she unknowingly not only brought their mouths closer together but also closed the space between their bodies.

Her mouth tightens in worry. "Um, should I not have …?"

"No!" he insists.

They both jump at his heightened voice breaking the silence of the night. The fireflies continue their swaying and the Igny before them crackles with a piece of wood splintering from the heat.

Natsu looks up to the sky. "I didn't mind it. Really."

"What? We've done that before," she reminds.

"Forget it. Warn me next time you want to kiss."

A huff of breath rushes through Lucy's nostrils and she intently leans closer to his reddening face. He bends to the side a little to try and escape from her overbearing presence under the pelt. "Oh, what? You can kiss me at any time but I need approval first? You always do this."

"I didn't say that."

"It sounds to me like you did."

"I was only saying that kissing when you look like that is a little hard for me to keep some control," he grumbles.

"I don't understand. What I did was no different from what we've done before."

His mouth opens, fangs glistening in the glow of the Igny with his frustrations rising, but Lucy covers his mouth with hers in a fierce kiss before he can get a word out.

Defiance tramples through her blood, finding it unfair at Natsu's words when he's had no issue initiating kisses. No longer does Igny pool in her stomach alone due to a need to be closer to him, accompanied by another need to prove something. What exactly, who knows. More than anything, she hates being told what she can and can't do, especially when she doesn't see any reasoning within those boundaries.

Natsu once again doesn't react, turning into a rock under her lips as his soul and tongue are stolen away.

She locks a hand against the back of his neck, tangling her slim fingers through his hair and pulling slightly. She realizes for the first time how soft his hair actually is. Still being unfamiliar with such personal contact with another human, she's not sure how to urge him into returning the kiss. Trying to think of something, she gently bites his bottom lip, hoping to provoke the predator he can be by having his flesh trapped between teeth. She can see that his eyes have lost the heat for a fight and have rather been burned into a haze, eyebrows furrowing and breath becoming ragged.

Natsu holds his position long enough that Lucy almost gives up.

A snarl rips deep from his chest and he unexpectedly drives his weight forward, capturing her lips in such vigor that it's her turn to be surprised. Her eyes widen and a gasp is swallowed by his fiery mouth. Lucy almost twitches from the harsh growl he creates, a sound she's only heard when he's in the moment of a hunt, eye dilated and body set low to the ground, nails digging into the soft ground to gain purchase. In this searing kiss she can hear a purr, content and soothing, but still gravely in its tone coming from a hunter like Natsu. Having gotten what she wanted, it's almost too overbearing, realizing that maybe she's gone over her head with arrogance.

His breath is intoxicating as it invades her body and lightly chapped lips become wet against hers. When Natsu's eyes close fully and eyelashes whisper against her burning cheek, it's a silly thing that she can't help but be enchanted by. She follows suit and closes her heavy eyes, finding it hard to keep them open when it's taking all of her strength to not become lax in his hold.

This kiss is different, as all their kisses before have been sweet. This new kiss is one that drives Lucy's mind into wild places. She's not sure what to do, simply wanting to provoke Natsu at first and having this turn into a situation that she's quite possibly not ready for. A large part of her is screaming to both stop and continue, as she hadn't realize that kissing could be more than soft affections until this moment. This kiss wants to tell the body to do things that blank the mind and let instinct to take over. She can feel it, a fog settling in her brain as it shuts down and the body takes over. What is this? She's only ever felt like this whenever her body would call out for a sense of satisfaction, and when it was her hand alone that would do such a thing it was embarrassing enough. Having Natsu overdrive her body into such a state is insane to Lucy. He calls out to this foreign side of her easily, compelling it to come out and play. Should she give in and listen to its call?

Natsu's told her that other animals do these things—nuzzles, licks, showing care by grooming and caring for one another, a natural reaction when a bond with a partner is born. Animal or human, it seems there's no escaping this hunger that builds in the body, silently calling for it to be satisfied. This new type of kiss, one that whispers you can never be close enough to the person you wish to share breath with, has become something beyond what either of them expected.

Gods, Lucy can't find herself wanting to argue about what's right and wrong. It's hard to think straight while in Natsu's arms.

The heavy kiss is almost sloppy with neither of them entirely knowing how to coordinate around each other's lips, noses bump and teeth clack every once in a while—something Natsu finds funny but starts to irritate Lucy. He wraps an arm around her waist, hand firmly hugging her side and bringing her closer to his chest. She settles her weight a little more against him, tightening her arms around his neck and giving a gentle tease to his rosy hair. The sounds he makes, groans and startled gasps, soft purrs turning into snarls, all make Lucy ache for more of his comforting touch. Who knew Natsu could sound like that?

He doesn't let up. A few seconds after parting he swallows Lucy's new intake of breath with his mouth. It's a shock when he tilts his head and deepens the kiss. His callous fingers skim along her cheek, the burn of his hand having her back arch like a pacified cat stretching after a nap. The heat under the pelt swelters, having skin sweat and stick to one another like a second pair of hands that compel them to cling harder to one another. This trapped warmth covers Lucy's body in a protective barrier that tells how in this crazy end of the world she find herself in, she'll always be accept by Natsu. The thought makes the unease in her gut at what they're doing settle down a little. She sighs into their kiss, the sound heard by Natsu who can't help but smile against her lips.

They reluctantly back away, panting for breath as lips brush, refusing to fully separate from the one they claim. Lucy's fingers brush through his soft hair, showing fondness.

"Did I hurt you?" Natsu asks uncertain.

She blinks away the fog that has clouded her mind. "No, I feel fine."

"Good." He snatches her lips once again but this kiss is profound, longer, and filled with a tenderness that breaks the heart. He tightens his hold around her waist and lifts her up, startling Lucy slightly. "Because I like it when you make those sounds," he says husky.

She was making noise? Since when? And forget about what she sounds like! Gods, the way Natsu sounds, his voice has never been this deep before! And she's sitting right in his lap—!

She forgets about all of that when she gets lost in the heat of his mouth once again, favoring to dive back into the abyss of these kisses then to start to fidgeting in embarrassment. They take time to learn how to tilt the head properly, how to move the mouth in a lovely dance, when to breath between their lips catching, how to respond with hair tugging and tight holds when their dance would become almost too much to take. Natsu has such a burning in his eyes that Lucy almost can't take it, much less understand what such a look could mean.

Her Blessed Passage wants so badly to be attended to; pulsating from Natsu's scorching touch. This area of her body that is usually considered holy is now turning into something more sinful. No longer is a blessing but a burden, a distraction from what's happening as it continues to demand attention. Her core wants so badly to be play with. A fleeting thought passes through Lucy's mind. It shouldn't be her doings that bring her to pleasurable heights but Natsu's hands instead.

She instantly backs away from his mouth, going still in his arms from the nervous shock such a small thought brings. He doesn't take her stopping the kiss as a bad sign, letting her be and catching his own breath. He leans his forehead against her's and all she can see is the emeralds that poke out in the darkness of his eyes. Seeing past the fog in her brain, there's so much more to what they're doing then Lucy knows, and that makes her hesitate.

Natsu steals her mouth once again but he must be able to notice that she isn't returning the kiss like she was before, unable to get past that intrusive thought she had concerning his hand and her Blessed Passage. He backs away and slows the moment down to linger preciously close, basking in their contact and not in their want for one another. His heartbeat runs rampant under her finger tips as she caress's the side of his neck, pushing down his scarf a little that has come loose in their play. The grip he has around her waist tells that he's trying to regain some sense in this madness.

Ah, now she understands why he didn't kiss her back at first. What he meant before, about it being hard to gain some control. Is Natsu as scared and thrilled as she is in these moments? He certainly doesn't mind what they're doing considering how eager he is. Maybe he's more aware of what's happening between them?

"It's a lot to take in," Lucy says quietly.

"It's frustrating, is what it is," Natsu says irked.

He backs away to look in her eyes and seeing this wild male that's captured her heart for the night, surrounded by fireflies, stars and the light of Igny, she realizes how suddenly she wants him, something she can't understand. There's a lot of things that she doesn't understand that are caused by him. Once she does get him, what are they supposed to do? All she can understand is that she wants to keep kissing and to never leave his side. Her Blessed Passage accepts what's happening but how can they continue to be in each other's arm when they don't know what to do beyond kiss? It used to be enough to sedate their bond but it feels as if that's no longer possible, not when things keep heightening between them. What Lucy's feared has come to pass; they've taken their bond to an unknown place and can never return to what was considered passive contentment between them.

There's something funny about the way Natsu's breath shakes, face contorted almost as if he's in pain.

"Should I be asking if you're the one okay now?" Lucy asks light-hearted.

He smirks for a second. "I've never felt better. Don't mind me."

"If you say."

A hard pock nudges at her thigh, smothering between their lower bodies. From its position and the knowledge she's gained, Lucy is no longer innocent of what it could be pressing against her, firmly attached to this male in a normally docile state. Natsu's Sacred Rod stands to attention.

And that instantly changes everything.

Lucy screams, and without any sort of thought beyond the vague notion that a Sacred Rod is something to forebode, she jerks away from Natsu's hold, legs flailing and arms swatting at his chest. Not expecting her alarm, he easily lets her go and frantically asks what's wrong, what happened. She jerks out from under the pelt that gets torn away from the both of them, wrapping her arms around herself in a hug to try and shield her body. Her panic makes Natsu panic, she can see it in his wide-eyed state of shock and the way one of his hands reaches out for her but is left hollow without anything in its reach.

"Make it go away," she demands. "I didn't do anything wrong to have it come about."

He quickly looks around the meadow, obviously thinking she's talking of some other animal on the prowl for their skin. When he finds nothing in the lingering shadows, he turns back to her with a mixed expression of confusion and hurt. "I don't understand. Why'd you back away?"

"What does your Sacred Rod want? We were only kissing," she says quickly.

Finally figuring out what made her skittish, Natsu lets out a large sigh and hangs his head. "That's kind of the point though," he mutters irritated.

Sluggishly picking up the bear pelt, the nights chill doesn't affect Natsu like it does Lucy, already having goosebumps rise on her arms and a shiver clench in her belly, the chill made worse after getting used to the fever between their bodies. He cautiously comes closer, holding the pelt up, signaling that he wants her to have it. She purses her lips but when she doesn't say anything, he drapes the pelt firmly around her, tucking the edges in and making sure no nightly chill can touch her. She doesn't flee when he gets close but she does lean away slightly, knowing that there's a Sacred Rod attached to him that could attack at a moment's notice.

"What does it want?" she asks hesitant once again.

"It's not alive, you know," Natsu says, raising an eyebrow. He sits back down in front of her and under his fur wrapping there's a lump that would be his Sacred Rod trying to break free of its confinements. He gives her some space but keeps within arm's reach in case she wishes to go to him.

"Then why is it awake?"

He scratches the back of his rustled hair. "It woke up because I was touching you. Especially with that type of kissing ... It's normally not this active."

"Then it must be angry from touching me," Lucy says calmer.

"Opposite actually. It's not mad but rather really happy. If it was pissed off, it'd hurt, like when the guys met you a while back. Wait, do you not hurt?"

When she doesn't get the question he elaborates, asking if her Blessed Passage hurts when it doesn't get what it wants.

She slowly shakes her head. "No, it doesn't. There's no pain."

Natsu snorts. "Count your blessing."

"How do you get your Sacred Rod to stop?"

"It'll go away on its own. It's seriously not going to hurt you. I promised I wouldn't hurt you and therefore my Sacred Rod won't, either."

Lucy brushes her bangs back from her eyes, groaning in confusion. "Let me get used to this. I don't know what to think."

Nervousness conjures in her belly for many different reasons. From what Natsu's saying, and if he's anything like her in the least when it comes to pleasure of the body, his Sacred Rod is crying out in pleasure right now. For males, it must translate into a hard rod between their legs, though she can't really imagine what it looks like. The thought brings a new type of burning in her stomach, an area in her body she didn't know existed tightening below her belly button.

A Blessed Passages cry for pleasure can easily be hidden, tucked safely away to only be known by the woman it's matured with. Unlike her, Natsu's arousal can never be hidden, on display for her to easily see and feel. Wait, is that why when he grabbed her chest his Sacred Rod came alive? So it really was because he grabbed her boob that it did that?! One part of her can't help but feel prideful, seeing as Natsu found her attractive and had his Sacred Rod come alive. Then what about the other males of the tribe? Were the dropping to the ground because they found Lucy so attractive that their Sacred rods did them in? But the males treat the Sacred Rod like a separate being from themselves most of the time. Is that possibly more like a metaphor for the males instead of actual truth?

In another sense, it's almost laughable thinking that's all his Sacred Rod could be, a translation for male arousal. Such a thing scared off Erza, the strongest woman of Lucy's tribe and frightened off the rest of the women to the point of abandoning her. It's understandable though, considering no woman has actually seen a Sacred Rod before. Something that strange coming from an even stranger creature such as a male she supposes would be enough to cause fright. Look at what it's done to her; she backed away from Natsu like this part of him was a viscous animal. If it wasn't for all the time she's spent with Natsu, even she might have ran away in fright.

Who should she believe? What her eyes saw in brave Erza running off or in Natsu's reassuring words that have never failed her before?

Natsu hesitantly brings a hand up, his every move telling how he doesn't want Lucy to be afraid of him any longer. He gently rubs her upper arm through the pelt she wears and gives a reassuring grin.

Lucy gently grips amulet that hangs around her neck, tucked safely away under her deer hide. She doesn't have to question her uncertainties for long. Despite Natsu's dark colored eyes, they've always been much too clear to hide any sort of ulterior motive. He doesn't lie, no matter what her anxiousness may have her question.

She sighs harsh. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

"Nah, you're fine. I probably should have warned you it would do that," he grins.

"Um, I think you should know that ... uh, well, when my Blessed Passage is ... happy, it wakes up, too. Not like your Sacred Rod but it does its own thing."

"Why are you telling me this?" he asks confused.

"I don't know. I think it's only fair that if I know about your sacred area you should know a little more about mine, especially after how I reacted. Sorry, again."

He sneaks a quick look down to her lower body that hides behind the pelt. "What does it do?"

"It pulsates, like a heartbeat."

Natsu raises an eyebrow in question at that, pausing to stare at her with curiosity glinting in his eyes. Before Lucy can react, he quickly ducks his head and kisses her. The sudden action has her drop the amulet around her neck, letting it settle against her chest. His hands don't touch her and the kiss isn't nearly as heavy compared to what they were doing before, but there's a caring pressure to his lips. The softness of his mouth once again begins to blank her mind; all worries stop and all questions halt.

He rests his foreheads against hers when they part. "Did it have a heartbeat?" he asks hesitant.

Lucy's eyes widen hearing such a personal question and it takes her a moment to come back to reality. She's going to have to be cautious in the future of the power these touches from Natsu bring about, lest she wants to be lost in this heady fog forever. "It—yeah, it woke up a little ..."

"Good." He smiles bright, a reassuring happiness accompanied in the way he wants to laugh. "No need to be afraid of my Scared Rod if it's anything like what you have."

She can't help but lower her head a little, unable to take his heavy gaze any longer. But lowering her eyes brings them straight to that hill in his wrapping.

Ah, she understands what needs to happen. If she wishes to figure out all these crazy, new found feelings of want, desire, curiosity and so forth within herself concerning Natsu, she's going to have to let all boundaries drop. The thought of unveiling her body is appalling, something Lucy's not ready for no matter how demanding her body might be. Natsu's more than willing to be naked before her, having no shame—or maybe too much confidence—in doing such a thing. It would be fair to let him set curious eyes on her but things have taken such a turn.

Lucy takes to butting her forehead against Natsu's shoulder, muffling her groan quietly into his fur. Her face burns, reaching to the tips of her ears and having her body clench at her embarrassing thoughts. He chuckles and asks what's wrong this time, but she quickly shakes her head to brush him off.

Before anything else, needs to a little more time to piece together herself emotionally. Better to be sure of what she's truly feeling then to potentially play with Natsu. It's one thing to examine his body out of curiosity; it's another thing to get to know his body due to the heart's desire.

"Hey, Lucy." His breath rushes against her ear, dissipating with a chill that leaves her desperate for that warmth again.

She lifts her head and whispers. "Yes?"

He smiles. "You're prettier than the fireflies."

* * *

**Authors Notes:**

**I decided to split Harvest Moon into two parts. I felt it was much too long to fit all into one chapter.**

**Leave a review please! Thanks!**


	15. Life-Partner

**Life-Partner**

* * *

Why are males like this? Lucy wonders.

Natsu and Romeo jostle each other in an open field known as "The Battle Grounds", Natsu having the upper hand due to his size and experience in battle compared to the younger boy.

Located away from the Male Tribe, the Battle Grounds is a place where the earth can be torn up, tree's snapped in half and foliage trampled to death without a thought in the world given. On the way here, Natsu explained that the guys are never allowed to fight seriously within the tribe's boarders, not unless they want to piss of Mas Ter who hates seeing his village get destroyed senselessly.

The brawling boys are encouraged by the other males that have gathered to compete in this barbaric spectacle, fists in the air as they watch from the sidelines and holler to their hearts content. Some give practical instructions on what moves to make, while others simply chant the name of the male they wish to win. Lucy doesn't understand how males can encourage one another to fight for fun. If it was for survival—to train the body and mind in being able to defend one's self against the harsh predators of the world—she would understand, but Natsu told her that's not the purpose of today. He said it was for fun and nothing more. What's fun about getting bruised, scratched to no end and getting hit in the back of the head—like what Natsu did to Romeo, effectively ending their match.

"Winner, Natsu!" Macao, Romeo's father, calls out. He goes to gather his son who sits disoriented on the ground, rubbing the back of his head and grumbling under his breath.

"Better luck next time," Natsu grins.

"I am getting better," Romeo argues. "And next time you'll feel how much stronger I've gotten."

He roughly pats the boys back. "You say too much."

"You do," Macao chuckles in agreement. "Know when to fight your battles, Romeo. It's what'll make you into a man."

"An even better man then you already are!" Elfman chimes in.

Romeo drops his hands and he slumps his shoulders, muttering a half-hearted agreement with his father.

Looking around the field, Lucy notices that three boys are missing, like always. Laxus, Freed and Bixlow remain absent wherever she goes, making her unease towards these mysterious boys steadily grow. More so, it's Laxus she's getting worried about. From what little she's seen of them, lingering in the shadows to watch her as monsters do on the prowl, Freed and Bixlow only avoid her because Laxus does. She doesn't know what she's done to earn his contempt, perhaps it's because she made him drop to the ground from his Sacred Rod being angry, or maybe it's because she's different from everyone else, a_ female_, that he avoids her. While she's happy that many of the men here welcome her, it's true that not all of them can be expected to do so willingly.

Lucy quickly stands when Natsu approaches her, having watched from the sidelines while sitting on a fallen log. "Are you okay?" she asks worried.

He snorts past a grin that permanently mares his face. "The runt's been trying to beat me for ages. I'd be more concerned about him."

"You were a little harsh."

"That's what you think. I was holding back. If he fought against Laxus, then Romeo wouldn't be walking."

"What would the point in injuring him like that be?"

He shrugs. "Because he doesn't know his boundaries. Thinks he can take on whoever he wants and get away with it. With me … eh, we've been sparing for so long I don't mind anymore. The other guys won't stand for it though and will take him down without hesitation. Besides, it's fun beating him." Natsu lightly pushes against Lucy's shoulder and puts his loose fists up in a playful matter. "We should fight sometime, too."

"No, thank you," she pointedly says.

"Aw, come on. It'd be fun."

"If you don't want to fight him, I'm up for it," Gray says, coming over to them. Bear chest but for the animal-tooth necklace resting against his collar bone, he doesn't mind the light breeze coming through and the way it pushes back his pelt wrapping, exposing more of his thighs then Lucy cares to see.

"I don't want to fight anyone," she says, turning her face away. "And make sure to keep your furs on."

"Don't worry. I've been minding that more often when you're around."

"You should have minded from the start," Natsu says bland.

"Hey, if you're looking for a fight, you got one right here," he says, motioning with his right hand for Natsu to charge at him.

"Fine by me, you crazy nudist," he smirks. He cracks his knuckles and steps closer to Gray, getting nose to nose with him in challenge.

Lucy can only sigh and roll her eyes. It wouldn't matter if she said something, which she's tried before; these males will fight one another with the simplest of excuses.

"Move aside, Icicle."

Gajeel's deep voice cuts through their friendly rivalry with ease, his powerful presence not one to be ignored. He towers above the boys with a tight smirk showing off his predator-like teeth, tan skin marked with deep battle scars and bits of metal. The boy's part to focus with elation on the bigger challenger at hand.

Gajeel has always been a confusing male to Lucy. Laxus might determinedly avoid her, giving her a clear idea on what he thinks of her, but Gajeel can leave her clueless on what to do around him sometimes. He seems to mean no harm, that tough exterior of his more for the looks then for the attitude most of the time. He's never been hostile towards her, rather giving curious looks and an almost disinterested air that he hides behind to misdirect his true intentions, not wanting to show any sort of emotional vulnerability. Usually she doesn't mind being around him, as he keeps to himself and isn't as handsy as some of the other males are, but that cold, metal exterior he has doesn't allow her to feel entirely comfortable around him, either.

Lately, Lucy's noticed Gajeel doesn't want to approach her. She gives him polite smiles and waves in hello, yet she's been met with nothing but harsh stares, perhaps a small nod if she's lucky. He's been silently watching her and those piercing eyes tell that he doesn't like what he sees. Yet he acts normal around the other males, the cloud lifting from his mind and letting him talk with his village mates at no expense. Well, that is if the male he's talking to feels comfortable around him. Some of the smaller males are a little skittish around such a brutish looking boy.

After observing his behavior for some time, Lucy made up her mind: Gajeel's grown some sort of resentment against her but for what reason she doesn't understand. It can't be about Levy, she didn't have anything to do with her escaping. She's debated about asking him what it could be but the intensity radiating off of him as a fine mist has kept her away all this time. It's hard to get near a guy that looks like he wants to kill you at any moment.

That's why it's surprising when Gajeel gets near Lucy. Natsu and Gray might be nearby and thrilled for a fight to begin but lately that hasn't been enough to get Gajeel this close to her. And without giving so much as a contempt glance at her. In fact, he looks down to her with sharp eyes but nothing that says he's about to cut her in half with those metal studs in his body. There's nothing Lucy can do but stand near her log awkwardly, cupping her hands together.

Gajeel crosses his thick arms tightly. "I'll be the one to take on Natsu. Gray, go find a thicker pelt for now. It's been a while and I'm itching for a throw down, especially thanks to little Bunny Girl here."

He puts a large hand on top of Lucy's head, effectively stunning her still. This is the first time he's actually put a hand on her and it's being done to add emphasis to his words. It lights an Igny in her gut, hating that she's being used as a means to start a fight between the boys. Also, Bunny Girl? Where'd that come from? And what'd she do to make him want to fight Natsu?

Natsu turns towards her curiously, seeing nothing wrong with Gajeel's fierce behavior. "You do somethin' to him?" he asks.

She quickly shakes her head to get Gajee's hand off of her and backs away, giving a large huff. "I'm not sure what he's talking about."

"She ain't the one I want to fight. Didn't you hear me?" Gajeel sneers.

Natsu comments impatiently that maybe he should make himself a little clearer with his words.

"Shut that trap of yours before I clamp it shut with my Metalicana," he snaps. "Bunny Girl started all of this bullshit with you and I'm not about to stand by it anymore."

Finally hearing the edge of malice whispering in his voice for what it truly is, Natsu quickly side steps the boys and comes around to stand in front of Lucy, creating a wall between her and Gajeel. "You got a problem with Lucy?" he asks intently.

"Back off. I'm not about to hurt the thing. She looks like she has the body of a cattail, anyway."

Between that ridiculous nickname Gajeel somehow came up with, his strange mannerism towards her and being insulted about her strength, a fragile subject to Lucy, as she knows she's not that strong compared to many, she about snaps. She wants to get in Gajeels face and yell that she isn't afraid of him, that she's willing to cut away his Sacred Rod along with his tongue at any time. She can feel the urge in her legs to turn those thoughts into actions, but she also isn't naïve of her own abilities. Gajeel would be able to crush her flat to the ground before she could blink and while she's stood up to more threatening foes, if she can avoid a fight it would be better.

Frustrated with her need to show that she isn't weak but also knowing her ground, Lucy can do nothing but glare at the idiotic male and say in snippety tone. "And a cattail still has enough force to jab you in the gut if it wanted to, so quit with your jabbering."

"But that cattail is full of fluff and nothing more—weak!" Gajeel retaliates harshly.

"Shut up!" Natsu growls annoyed. "You might not want to fight her but don't go threatening Lucy, either."

"I can do what I want. And I'm going to knock some sense into you right now. You should have never forgotten about us just because some girl came around!" he hollers, pointing an accusing finger at said girl.

His anger halts due to confusion. "Forget about you? How could I forget you guys? I'm around everyone all the time! Now you're the one talking like crazy, Metal Head."

"Not if he's right," Gray mutters. It's a statement that sounded as if it was meant to be kept to himself but was whispered too pointedly to be anything but a sly remark.

Lucy says loudly, trying to verbally push in-between these males overbearing need for a fight to break out. "If you guys have something against me, talk to me about it. Don't take it out on Natsu when hasn't done anything wrong. Besides that, you can't dictate how he acts."

"Nobody blames you for the influences you bring, Lucy," Gray says. "It's not like you can help being different from us. Believe me, it's nice having you around, but ... um, Natsu's just been stupider than normal since you came around."

Before Natsu can snap at Gray, Gajeel interjects pointedly. "True, the runt can do what he wants, but that don't mean I have to like it." He bends at the waist to try and intimidate Lucy at eye-level, peering around Natsu's shoulders with a sadistic smirk. At the very least, what Lucy considers to be sadistic. "Natsu's been much too distant lastly and that's all thanks to you. He's always hovering around you and dedicating all his time to you like you're some precious jewel. The other guys have become worthless to him," Gajeel accuses.

"Speak for yourself!" someone within the crowd calls out. From the tone, it was most likely Warren.

"Shut it! If ya'll are going to be wimps about the truth, that doesn't mean I have to follow suit."

From what Lucy has noticed, it's true that Natsu doesn't go to the Male Tribe for very long, perhaps not as long as he used to from what Gajeel is saying. In the beginning, Natsu would leave when need be but would always return in a hurry, making sure that she was never alone for long. It was comforting to know that he worried for her safety, especially when her ankle was still recovering. The thought of a male coming around at the time was scary. Once she started going to the village, Natsu's time in the tribe extended, no longer afraid to have Lucy be on her own for longer periods and trusting that she would be alright.

Every time she would go to the tribe with Natsu, he would smile upon seeing his friends and would happily catch up with what they've been doing. No one else seemed to take offence by his absence. Besides, most of the males take more interest in her then on what Natsu's been up to. These males should understand his change in attitude, as taking in a new family member is never as easy as it seems. He can't entertain his friends like he used to and most of the males have never put up a fuss about it.

Apparently, it was a slow burning resentment for Gajeel. Even for Gray it was something to get agitated about in secrecy.

Lucy groans. "Don't go picking fights because you're jealous!"

"I ain't jealous!" Gajeel hollers. "I'm tellin' you, Natsu deserves to have his ass kicked for thinking less of his fellow men!"

Natsu squares his shoulders. "I don't care what your reasoning is. If you want a fight, that's fine by me."

Before she can try and quell his unneeded anger, Gajeel stomps his right foot down as he steps forward. His scarred fists clench and the amount of excitement he has in wanting for this fight to begin shows in his toothy grin and piercing, knife-like stare. He's got eyes black as tar, worse than Natsu's in a way that's dangerous and says he'll strike for the throat at first chance. "Bring it on. I'll wipe you to the ground," he threatens, a harsher snarl in his tone coming out. He jerks to the side, stepping out to the middle of The Battle Grounds to prepare for the fight.

Lucy brushes her bangs back and gives in with a sigh—no matter what she says it won't change a thing. She lightly pats Natsu's tense back, laying her forehead softly between his shoulder blades. She can feel the Igny in him burning up through his pelt, intensifying his body heat. "Don't hurt each other too much," she murmurs.

He says quietly. "Sorry, I can't promise that. After hearing him out … I kind of feel like I own Gajeel a little, if you know what I mean."

She smiles soft. "He's your friend, right? I'm sure that's good enough of a reason."

Despite his anger, Lucy can tell that Natsu's going to enjoy this fight, judging from the slight hint of glee that resided deep down in his voice. He's told her before that in a fight for life and death, no pleasure can be found in such sadness, but sparing against another male like this is something Natsu relishes. To see who is stronger, to find out if he can truly honor this title of Brave he's gained, excites him to no end.

The other males, being aware of the seriousness in this fight, as it was impossible to not overhear their shouting in the open field, call from the sidelines. Lucy can hear Bixlow above everyone else, his big mouth telling Gajeel to not hold back. Max is the closest male to her and calls out his amusement, saying that he's betting on Natsu to win. Some of them bring out scraps of food or arrow heads in exchange for their bets, Max putting up against Warren who bets on Gajeel. Lucy can only frown at their uncaring behavior towards their two fighting friends.

Natsu and Gajeel face off in the center of the field, sizing one another up and building tension that mists the air from their magic invisibly swirling in the air. Gajeel is a lot bigger than Natsu, both in height and weight, this rival male standing half-a-head taller with long, black hair down to his waist and barbs of metalicana pushed through his skin. It's such an odd and horrifying thing to look at, having Lucy imagine the amount of pain he went through to keep those little metal studs in his body, running along his nose and eyebrows, decorating his knuckles and other places on his body that she can't see beyond his furs. There's a sharp edge radiating from every aspect of him that admitting makes her a little nervous for Natsu's well-being.

"Gajeel!" Lucy calls. When he turns his grimace on her, she refuses to move an inch. "I'm sorry for taking Natsu away!"

His eyes widen in surprise but that look quickly dissolves into a hard sneer of disgust. He tears his eyes away from the female back to Natsu. It might be Lucy's imagination, but she swears he blushes a little.

Natsu shows no hindrance due to his foreboding opponent, standing tall with his arms resting easily by his sides, but his hands clench to the point of white knuckles. He doesn't lift his lips to show sharp canines, no sneer of intimation nor any other sign that he's ready to fight. He simply gives a slat-clean look of building anger, a honed sharpness that locks onto Gajeel.

That look tells Lucy that maybe he isn't doing this entirely for the reasons she thought of. Sure, it's always exhilarating to spare against strong opponents, the thrill of a bond formed between blood and bruises, but Gajeel's threatening words towards her must have gotten to Natsu more than she would have thought possible. This is the first time Lucy's seen him get serious like. It's a look that makes it hard to approach him when it seems as if he'll lash out at anything that disturbs him. He'd never harm her, she's sure of that, but that type of expression is there for a reason. He's not messing around. This challenge is as much a battle of dominance as it is a warning, to tell Gajeel that his attitude towards Lucy, even if not directed right at her but instead used as an excuse for this fight, won't be tolerated by Natsu.

She drops to sit back down on the dry log with clammy hands, rubbing them together and pressing her thighs tightly together.

"Yeah! Show him who's the real manly Brave of this tribe, Natsu!" Elfman cries, his large fist pumping in the air.

Lucy softly taps a finger against Elfman's side to get his attention. "Do you think Natsu's been acting weird since I came around?"

He crosses his robust arms and turns his eyes up to the sky in thought. "He was always a man's man, that hasn't changed much."

"I think Natsu's gotten a little crazy," Max says, sitting down beside her. "I've never seen him get protective over someone like he does with you. For little Happy, sure, but for another guy? Never in my life."

"She's not a guy," Elfman reminds.

"Oh, right, sorry. Anyway, you seem to bring out the softer side of Natsu."

The fight between the two stubborn males has begun. Gajeel gives the first strike, his arm reach longer then his opponents and allowing him to hit Natsu in the cheek hard enough to send him flying back. Seeing such a hard punch has Lucy's stomach flip, used to the happy tussling of play fights and not the all-out aggressiveness that can be shown from a male. Her eyes never stray from Natsu, watching how he catches himself by rolling back and skidding to a halt where the grass has been irreversibly ripped away to reveal the hard dirt below. Not one to be taken down by a single punch, Natsu easily prepares his stance as Gajeel charges forward. He brings out the Igny within him, setting both of his fists alight.

"I was waiting for these two lug-heads to fight," Mas Ter says. Lucy's jumps hearing his craggily voice coming out of nowhere, the village leader standing behind the log between her and Max. "Sorry, my girl, I didn't mean to startle you. I was only admiring the view for a little."

She smacks his hand away before he can pat her pelt covered rump. His paper-like skin doesn't hold up against her harsh swat, the left-over sting having him quickly wave his hand to try and relieve the pain.

"Keep your hands to yourself, old man, and I might let you explain what you said," Lucy says irritated, turning her eyes back to the fight.

Natsu has gotten the upper hand and swipes Gajeel's feet out from under him, sending him crashing to the ground flat on his back. Natsu hauls his arm back as far as it will go and brings it down with a punch to the middle of Gajeel's chest, the force behind it like a raging animal, knocking the wind out of Gajeel and re-starting his heart. The amount of pressure applied from the hit shatters the ground below, ripping up the dirt and grass in small rivets and having the earth shake.

"Forgive me. I couldn't help myself. Last I saw a female was many moons ago," Mas Ter snickers. "But it's good for these two boys to get their energy out before it turned deadly. Gajeel has been in a foul mood as of lately and I was getting tired of his pouting."

"He's jealous," Lucy states.

"That he is, though he won't admit it. Gray, either. He's much too kind to voice his opinions about the changes you've brought."

"I didn't mean to—"

"You have nothing to fret over. Gray doesn't see you as a burden, his words before are true. He simply knows he can't control Natsu's life, otherwise he would have said something earlier."

"Gajeel doesn't seem to have the same attitude."

"Of course not," Mas Ter sighs irked. "That boy's mouth doesn't know how to close, thanks to the way he was brought up. He's been through a lot in life before coming here. Originally, he destroyed the village to nothing but scraps because he was on the hunt for another female."

Her eyebrows furrow. "He knew about us?"

"Not really. He was hired to look for a female in this village by another male tribe that has long since disbanded. He came here on a deadly mission but didn't know what he was looking for, that idiot. In the end, we beat him and his old tribe back for what they did. All that fuss for something we didn't have …" Mas Ter scratches at his gray beard and gives a soft sigh. "A bitter tribe like that wasn't for Gajeel and I invited him back to our tribe as a member, granted that he would help rebuild it better than before."

"I'm surprised you would trust him …"

"He's got the body of an ox, my girl, but the heart of a damn gopher. I could see that he was lonely, was all. He's been good to us ever since, and it looks like he's come to really value his fellow tribe members if he's acting like this."

Gajeel tackles Natsu, wrapping his arms around Natsu's middle to try and smash him into a thick tree not far behind him. Natsu claws into Gajeel's back, finding some leverage for his top half while the souls of his feet dig into the ground. Even from a distance, Lucy can see how Natsu mashes his teeth to the point they may break in his struggle. The two have a standoff, physical strength against physical strength, and try to outweigh one another.

The building intensity of the fight has Max snap to a stand, stepping a few feet into the Battle Grounds to shout his encouragement for Natsu. Elfman joins at this side, as do the rest of the men who get fully absorbed into the fight, trying to get closer to this exciting spectacle. Their loud roars and cheering almost drown out Lucy's own thoughts. With the men thoroughly enjoying the fight, it leaves her at a slight disadvantage, finding it hard to see around these tall, bulky bodies. Not wanting to ignore this battle, as Natsu is fighting because of her and she needs to cheer him on with all she's got, Lucy stands to circle around the other men. She's stopped from doing so when a large, wrinkled hand whirls around in front of her.

Halted by Mas Ter's magic, the old man winks and a gives a grin that tells of something mischievous within his thoughts. "Sit down, Lucy. There's something I'd like to discuss with you."

She hesitates, seeing between two men how Natsu chases after Gajeel. "But …"

"Don't worry. It's something you'll be interested to hear. These men have their senses blocked by the blood roaring in their ears. They won't bother us." He shrinks his hand back down to its normal size and puts his arms behind his back.

It isn't wise to ignore a tribe leader, knowing that if Grand Dini asked her to sit down for a talk, Lucy wouldn't object to it in the slightest. Feeling obligated to cheer Natsu on though, she quickly shouts as loud as she can over the crowd words of encouragement, almost feeling as if she could lose her voice from her throat tightening down. She catches Natsu eyes through the crowd, his pupils dilated to remind her of the dragon he was raised by and his sensitive hearing easily recognizes her voice over everything else's. He has time to give her a quick nod before going back to focus on Gajeel.

Lucy and Mas Ter linger towards the back of the crowd, keep mostly to themselves. With how short the tribe leader is, she takes to sitting back down on the log to keep within ear reach.

"Gajeel wouldn't be acting like this if he didn't find his bond with Natsu important," Mas Ter tells. "Now that one of his friends is being jeopardized away from him, he's lashing out like a child."

"He could have simply talked to Natsu," she sighs.

"These two kids talk it out? More likely chance of hell breaking open under my feet. Don't think on it. One idiot isn't something for you to worry over. You've done nothing to Natsu but change him for the better. Who cares if he's not around the village like before? Humans can't stay small forever. We have to learn to fly."

She hesitates, slowly rubbing her hands against her thighs. "What do you see different about him?" she asks tentative.

"I can't really explain it. More simply put, I'd say he's found a potential mate and that's what's makes him seem different to the others."

"I'm sorry I've never heard that word before. What does 'mate' mean?"

"A life-partner."

Lucy stiffens, knowing exactly what that word means. Her heart clenches in its beats while simultaneously her gut drops, the sensation catching her breath in a hiccup.

When she was little, Lucy heard stories shared among the women about what it meant to find a life-partner, someone that is cherished in a completely different way from friends or family. There were tales woven of Goddesses meeting Gods and being showered in gifts, of spirits among women encasing their life-partners in golden light. It was an aspect that was fantasized like nothing before by a young Lucy—a simple wish, a heart-felt desire. As time went on, those fantasies dropped from the forefront her mind but remained locked somewhere deep away, constantly trying to push themselves back into the light of her mind. Erza and the others would call her a 'romantic', a word to describe someone who longs for more than what a family can give and, in a way, they were right. The thought of holding such strong love for someone else always fills her with a longing for it to happen.

But she never let it full consume her. While the thought is nice, there couldn't possibly be that much of a difference between a life-partner and the other people that were already important in her life … could there be? A life-partner is described as accepting a different type of love, one that goes beyond family bonds. So unique in itself that a rare gemstone couldn't compare to it.

Lucy clutches the red and gold amulet around her neck.

She's never thought of these wants, these needs, towards Natsu as love, but Mas Ter's words strike something at the heart. Hearing these words told by an outside perspective, someone that can easily see what her and Natsu's relationship is without the interference of personal feelings, sounds almost unreal. To have a true potential life-partner as an adult woman, not as some fantasy in her imagination or as a story told by other women, feels too much to comprehend. Lucy doesn't know what to focus on anymore, Natsu fighting with everything he's got or on Mas Ter's life changing words.

She's acknowledged her attraction towards Natsu for a while now. She was unconsciously drawn to a particular grin that would show off his canines, something about the look so soft and yet so cunning, a confidence behind it that caught her attention at a time when she didn't want to admit it. It developed into wanting to share meals with him at every chance, to be tucked in next to him at night, to share the heat he creates and to have him talk just to hear his voice. But that voice also reveals the personal things that make Natsu who he is, personality and strength that have twisted Lucy's will around his pinky finger.

This attraction towards Natsu, is that an aspect that comes with finding a life-partner? Or rather a mate, as Mas Ter put it. The word somehow feels more personal, the thought making Lucy want to down a cup of water from her tongue sticking to the roof of her mouth. What comes first? Love or attraction? Are they intertwined or deceiving one another? Is it okay to be attracted to a male when she's never felt like this with any female?

"Someone to share your entire existence with," Mas Ter goes on, embarrassing Lucy to hear these things. "To see one another for which you truly are, to get along with your likes, dislikes and understand one another through thick and thin. You'd do anything to keep one another safe and healthy."

She solemnly lowers her eyes and tries to ignore the burning in her face. "Natsu's told me we're family," she says quietly, dropping her amulet.

"It goes beyond that, my girl. I may be old but I'm not blind. That new pelt you're wearing, Natsu gave you a gift that means much more than any simple trinket for trade. He provides for you in every way he can. When you're sad, he comforts you and when your happy, he lights up. I've seen it happen on his face so often that it makes me want to laugh. I'm assuming he has enough sense to not have puffed up his feathers and danced for you, at least," he chuckles.

Lucy can't find the right words to answer something that serial sounding. She does wish the best for Natsu, to always have him smile and to never have the harshness of life dampen his spirits. She wants to see him thrive. But wouldn't she wish that upon anyone she cared for? What is Natsu to her?

Mas Ter shrugs easily as if he can read her mind and smiles amused. "Natsu's learning how to deal with all of this suddenly, too. He may not even know what's happening with him. That boy has the mind of a sparrow for all we know, poor thing, but he knows what he wants and he won't hesitate to go after it."

She stares ahead in thought, watching through clouded vision the backs of the male crowd squirm in barley contained eagerness.

Mas Ter's eyes linger quizzically on Lucy. "Do you wish to have the remainder of your life spent beside Natsu?"

"... I don't know," she admits quietly.

"Give it time. You'll sort out your feelings."

"I wish they would sort out now. It's all too confusing."

"Love always is."

She holds her breath and pinches her eyebrows hard. Should she ask this? It's embarrassing enough to die from, but at the rate things are going she's never going to get answers by herself. Stealing her nerve and working past the way her face wants to burn to ash with its harsh blush, Lucy fiddles with her thumbs and forces her words out. "Does finding a … mate—n-no, a life-partner make you want to get close to them … physically?"

"Oh, yeah!" Mas Ter laughs, patting her butt once again. He stops before he can earn himself another smack. "I'm guessing that means you find Natsu's attractive."

She stiffens. "I-I didn't say that."

"Don't need to. Now, I'm also guessing you've gotten a little _close _to him, haven't you? Good on you! I could use that kind of interaction again, myself, with a nice, young girl, especially in my old age."

"None of the women I know are going to want to get near you if you keep talking like that," she scoffs.

"If you ever have any trouble with him, I could always give you some advice."

She pushes her face into the palm of her hands and groans. "Ah, forget it!"

There is no way in the Gates of Hell she can ask the Male Tribe leader what their attraction towards one another means! She'll figure this out on her own. That's all there is to it.

Mas Ter laughs from her shyness, having the tips of her ears burn up.

Unbeknownst to them, a newcomer approaches, and for the first time Lucy learns what Laxus's voice sounds like. "I see you're causing another problem."

Lucy jumps, snapping away from the log and coming around to face Laxus with wide eyes. Mas Ter even gives a look of shock seeing Laxus come near them.

"Wh-what do you want?" Lucy asks. She intended her voice to come our strong but the nervousness this hulking boy brings out in her can't be hidden away.

He stands behind the log with his arms crossed, a tigers pelt draped over his shoulders and cascading down his back like a waterfall. Everything about his screams hardened earth and sharp edges. Freed and Bixlow linger near the forest line behind Laxus, giving him some space, most likely done on command, as this is the first time Lucy has seen them be this far apart from their object of affection. Freed shows plain disinterest with his eyes closed as if he's sleeping, while Bixlow gives a slight bubble of laughter that's seemingly out of his control.

"What'd you do this time?" Laxus asks with a grimace.

"The boys are finally taking their frustrations out on one another, that's what," Mas Ter says. His voice has the tight controlled quality Lucy wishes she had. "Gorgeous Lucy here has done nothing to force the animal out in these boys. Jealousy can be an ugly, little thing. They've done this to themselves. You can't say, Laxus, that you weren't waiting for this, too. These boys have been driving me mad lately."

"In a sense different from you, Gramps, I was waiting for this. One problem after another is coming from this girl ... but, at least, it's nothing compared to a possible war."

"Yes, you're right. The Female Tribe has backed down. I told you if you had some patience things would work out."

Wait, they were waiting for war? Lucy thinks astonished. Her female friends coming to save her was never a symbol of war to her, they were only coming to take back what they saw as theirs ... But isn't that how all wars are started? With a generation of males and females having never seen each other, they meet for the first time in probably centuries on bad terms, weapons raised, riding into male territory on the backs of large beasts. Is Laxus going to go looking for war when it's being avoided?

Laxus shakes his head. "I don't believe that nonsense. They're minxes, all of them."

"Gather all the weapons you want, war is not an option to entertain," Mas Ter orders.

"For now." He purses his mouth slightly, looking to Lucy through narrowed eyes. "I only came by to say ... nice to meet you."

Her spine stiffens. Excuse me? she thinks shocked. Mas Ter gives a small shake of his shoulders, as if twitching in the same sense of shock as Lucy.

Laxus snorts. "I don't think you belong here, Lucy, but I won't harm you over such a matter any longer. It's obvious that you've done-in the other guys, as well. No much to be done when they're already too far gone" He looks to the men that continue to ignore them, too absorbed in the brawl before them. He sneers at these boys he considers weak but cherishes enough that he no longer wishes to fight again them. Laxus quickly turns around and walks back towards his followers. "As long as you don't hurt anyone here, that is. As soon as your companions return, I will not show mercy."

That last sentence says a lot to Lucy. Laxus hates her for being an outsider, most definitely, but his main concern is his tribe. He treats her like an animal that needs to be watched over constantly, 'less it bites someone, because the moment it does that animal will be killed. But, for now, he lies in wait to see what that animal will do, and if it shows no hostility, he'll let it linger. It's a frightening thought to be seen as an animal by Laxus. With the others before they got to know her, they treated her like a harmless animal with strange features. With Laxus, she's all teeth and trickery, a snack and a fox wrapped together. He can't see her as human right now. How could she possibly convince him that she's means no harm? That she's happy among this place? More pressing, how can he convince him that war between their kind is not needed?

Mas Ter gives a large sigh of relief and leans a hand against the log. "Man, and I thought the end of the world was coming for a moment."

"Did you think he was ... going to hurt me?" Lucy asks hesitant.

"I wasn't sure. He's calmed down since that spat about Levy, but his way of thinking can be a mystery to me. I'm only happy he tolerates you."

She pauses, afraid to hear the answer. "How long has he been gathering weapon?"

"Since Levy left," Mas Ter says sullen. "He's convinced peace between our tribes isn't possible."

"We can't go to war!" she says appalled.

"I don't want to do such a thing either, my girl."

* * *

**Authors Notes:**

**Happy New Year 2020! The Chinese Zodiac line starts all over again with the year of the rat up first.**

**Please, leave a review to tell me what you guys think of this chapter! I'm happy to be back finally.**


	16. Unaware Courting

**Unaware Courting**

* * *

A cry of frustration from Natsu has Lucy snap her head around to search for him beyond the crowd. That's right, while she's been talking about life-partners and an unforeseeable future, Natsu has been fighting this whole time. What kind of person is she to ignore such a thing? Especially when it _was_ indirectly cause by her, no matter what Mas Ter might say.

"Go on, this isn't something we need to worry about," Mas Ter says. "Maybe later on ... No, for now, get out of here." He gives her a thumbs up and winks. "He's your man. Root for him."

She smiles softly and begins to turn towards the crowd. Her feet don't move any further though. She stands there with a foreboding feeling building within her and a weight settling on her frail shoulders. She can't help but pause. "I don't know how we can possibly go about this, how the males and females can get along, but I'm still happy to be here. Thank you for your time, Mas Ter," she dismisses.

"If you have any more trouble, my girl, don't be afraid to drop by," he smirks.

Happy to move as far away from Laxus as she can, Lucy jogs around the large group of men to watch Natsu's fight. The crowd forms a semicircle around the Battle Grounds to make sure everyone can see what's happening, and it isn't until she gets to the edge of the spaced-out crowd that she's able to get a full view of the fight. Suddenly, there's a flash of hot red and white that blinds her, intuition kicking in that tells of how strong Natsu's flames have become.

Natsu plants his feet in the ground and reels his arm back, the fist glowing with a powerful heat of Igny behind it. He gives a harsh punch to Gajeel's stomach, having the male buckle and get thrown back from the force. He slides across the dry dirt and comes to a heap on the other side of the field, closer to Lucy then anyone else. The Igny that powers Natsu's body has come out in rapid remorse, burning through Gajeel's pelt and touching the skin underneath in a searing mess that makes the large male shout the pain away. He jerks his battered body up despite those howls, holding his injured stomach and panting for breath. From the sound, something's wrong with his airway, wheezing out of his mouth like it is. He must have gotten hit in the throat when Lucy wasn't looking.

"That's not fair!" Gajeel roars hoarse. He's got a gash on his right cheek, spilling blood down his neck and another burn mark sears his skin black on his right arm.

Natsu smirks like the devil, holding up his glowing Igny hand in threat. "What's the matter? Can't take the heat? If you don't like it, then give up. I'll only hit you a little more afterwards." He's not much better looking, having a gash in his right arm that runs with blood down to the finger tips. The appendage is limp, obviously causing him severe pain if he moves it. He's banged up with a bleeding forehead and across his stomach are scratch marks covered in dirt. It's almost horrifying for Lucy to see that. She didn't think this match meant that much to Natsu in order to get like that.

"Fuck off with that shit! If I had my Metalicana with me, you'd be feeling my wrath," Gajeel shouts.

"Ha! You're saying that because you're scared!"

Lucy cups her burning cheeks in hand and lowers her head in shame, muttering to herself. "I think he has a brain more like a mocking bird, Mas Ter."

"I ain't afraid of no jackass! Since when could you do some shit like that, huh? Has Bunny Girl over there been giving you a boast of power? You touched those huge mound things on her chest before and your Sacred Rod scared away the other females—she's got to be able to give you some sort of power. Why should you be the one to hog that? Why not share the girl?" Gajeel asks agitated.

Lucy's overall embarrassment gets blow away, replaced with anger at his stupid words. She places a hand over her heart and hisses. "I'm not some prize for you two to fight over!"

"Oh, you want in on this, too?" Gajeel snaps, turning to look over his shoulder at her.

Natsu quickly runs to come around and stand in Gajeel's way. Lucy is well out of range of their fight but Natsu blocks his path as if she's right at his back, protecting her. "I'm the one you want, stupid! Stay away from her!"

"Calm down, Natsu. Gajeel can't really mean to harm Lucy," Gray says surprised.

"You males can be so—so dumb!" Lucy groans irritated.

Gajeel cracks his knuckles loudly along with the bones in his neck, that smirk on his face saying he's forgetting about his pain and is letting the adrenaline in his body take over. "He's right, I won't hurt her. I was only teasing the weak thing. What I want to do is kick your ass even harder for what you're doin', hoggin' the power she's got."

"She has no power to give neither you nor anyone else. She's just Lucy. You don't have to like her being a part of my family but that doesn't mean you can go and do this shit. I suggest you get over it!" Natsu yells.

"That's enough, you dogs!" Mas Ter spits sternly. His voice rings clearly through the open air, a command to it that will not be challenged. The crowd parts to let him come forward, and despite being the shortest male here, he exhumes enough power and respect that Gajeel doesn't utter a word against him. "This fight is over. Gajeel, if you continue to have that kind of intention towards Lucy, I won't hesitate to reprimand you for it. She's a good girl and doesn't deserve any hostility."

Lucy can tell that he wasn't only speaking to Gajeel on that matter but also to Laxus, who is unsearchable past the crowd.

Gajeel snorts. "Yeah, whatever. I call this match my win."

"The hell did you say?!" Natsu stomps forward to get closer to Gajeel. "This isn't over yet. No way! I'm going to be the one too—!"

The simple insult sets off a mixture of overconfidence and pride within Natsu, setting him to be blind. That's why he doesn't see the sudden fist that comes flying at his face until it's too late.

* * *

**XxXxXxX**

* * *

"Stop your squirming! I can't help if you don't hold still," Lucy demands, sitting back in the nest.

"I can't stand that stuff," Natsu grimaces.

She soaks a cloth in putrid smelling herbs, the stench making the bridge of his nose crinkle. It's an easy herb to nibble on when left whole but stings like a bitch when mashed up and applied to wounds. Supposedly the herbs will help make sure no sickness comes through his open wounds, but Natsu's never been sick a day in his life.

He doesn't understand why Lucy insists on cleaning his wounds with fresh water and a clean cloth, since he's never taken care of his old wounds like this before. After making sure there was no dirt left in the open gashes, Lucy has caringly put bandages on the cuts that cover his body. One sits along his forehead that is now patched with healing herbs and a large dressing of cotton that's wrapped around his head. The worst cut is on his right arm, deeper than the other wounds and drawing her immediate attention when she began helping him. When he tries moving the arm, it feels as if there's a sharp thud underneath the skin, pulsating with pain that rings from the upper arm down to the tips of his fingers that twitch uncontrollably.

She puts another layer of herbs against the cut to his arm, letting it harden to create a seal around the opening in the flesh. "I'll put the dressing on your arm once the herbs are done drying. I don't want it to stick to the wrapping, otherwise it's going to hurt coming off," she explains.

"Alright, alright …" Natsu grumbles.

He doesn't mean to sound ungrateful towards her but he can't help it. Sitting in their nest, he tightly grips a heel with his good hand and stews in frustration. That son of a bitch, Gajeel! I should have given the final blow to the metal head while I had the chance, he thinks harsh.

Except for the annual Brave Championships—where they compete to see who gets to keep the title of Brave—Natsu had never before battled another male as serious as he did with Gajeel. The moment Gajeel implied a threat towards Lucy, it set off a coiled ball within his gut that imploded. It didn't matter who Gajeel was nor his true reasoning behind the fight—he wasn't about to let Lucy be harmed. Lucy herself didn't seem to mind Gajeel's threats, an aspect that made Natsu proud of his female, able to stand with her chin held high against the bulky males' threats. But even if she didn't mind, he immensely did.

It was also his guilt that had him step into the fight. To Gajeel, having most of Natsu's time focus on Lucy has obviously made him feel betrayed. And for Gray, too, a little bit. But how the fuck did that happen? Natsu never once felt as if he was neglecting the tribe, his bond with everyone much too strong to have him think even for a moment that he was purposely distancing himself. None of the other guys have spoken a word of such devastation, most of the males being smart enough to realize that just because he doesn't interact with them like before doesn't mean he's forgotten them. No one has given contempt glances or cold shoulders, being their usual selves and happily talking with him. That's why Natsu doesn't get how Gajeel can think he's abandoning the tribe—! He'd protect this place with his life on the line; something that bastard doesn't seem to understand.

The battle against Gajeel became a sort of apologetic fist-fight, accompanied by a need to protect his female. Overall, the weirdest fight Natsu's gotten into.

It still sucks Gajeel got the last punch. I didn't lose—screw that! Natsu thinks.

He groans loudly. "I'll get him next time. I'm not about to wait around for him to gloat over his false victory! Fuck no. He'd better watch out."

"If you're thinking that you lost the title of Brave, you didn't. Mas Ter told me," Lucy reassures.

"I don't care about that. I mean, okay, maybe a little, but that's not the point—" Seeing her reach out to him with an herb-soaked cloth, he tries to frantically lean away. He's kept in place thanks to her holding his ear, pinching the delicate lope with the tips of her nails. "Quit that! I hate that smelly stuff," he whines, stiffening his muscles as they sing with pain from rubbing the herbs against his stomach wounds.

"I know you have a sensitive nose but it'll be worth it. Wendy always told me this is something that needs to be done to heal the wounds properly and I'm not about to forsake her advice," she says.

He cracks an eye open, the other one squeezing tightly closed. "Seems to me she wants to make others suffer a little more. They're only scratches, ain't nothing that won't heal."

"Hearing that, I somehow get the feeling women live a lot longer …"

Natsu can let himself breathe again when she takes the cloth away and releases his heated ear. He lets the wounds soak in the fresh air and slowly have the stinging fade away. Three long cuts run from the upper right of his abdomen to the lower left of his hip, becoming a glowing red that stands out against the copper of his skin. That Metalicana on Gajeel isn't for show, having gotten Natsu on more than one occasion with their sharp edges digging into him.

Lucy's been lost in thought throughout most of this. He's able to tell from the way her usually exuberant eyes have fogged over, a curtain of mist that dulls their color. She randomly stares at nothing in particular while images, words and thoughts jump around in her head. Also, unbeknownst to Lucy, she sometimes bites her bottom lip, chewing the flesh a little in a worrying sort of way. That's how Natsu knows she's_ really _over thinking things. As of now, it's what she does. Her teeth bite softly at her bottom lip, letting it go in intervals as if she's aware of what she's doing and she's doesn't want to make a habit out of it, although it's too late for that. The little movement distracts Natsu until she holds up a dressing for him to see.

"Hold still, please. This is a going to hurt a little, but after this you should be feeling a lot better."

He gives one hard chuckle. "Relax. You can't hurt me."

"Take a deep breath and then it'll be over." She steadily takes in her own breath as if to give an example and begins to wrap the large, white piece of cotton around his torso to cover his abdominal cut.

"Dammit," he mutters in a hiss.

He grits his teeth and holds his position—leaning back on his good arm to allow Lucy better access to the wounds—with every muscle in his body tightening up. She gently pats the wrapping over the wounds, her fingers delicate as they smooth the edges of the dressing against his skin. Her touch is trying to be like air; floating to not cause him anymore pain. Not much that will do though, considering the cuts sting like a demon biting the skin.

Having Lucy take care of him is different compared to if one of the guys was helping. They wouldn't be considerate of his pain, wrapping the bandages as if he couldn't feel any pain at all—Natsu thinks it's a form of payback, as normally if he got hurt it was because he was doing something stupid. He's never had someone focus intently on the way the bandages were wrapped, the way the wounds were healing nor on his state of cleanliness, least of all.

He's beaten up and aching but with Lucy at his side, he feels entirely alive, mind sharp and a warm hum running through his body. He was only half-serious about getting to Gajeel before he can run his mouth, because being here is much more comfortable. In a sense, Natsu feels as if he's escaped from the jaws of death to crawl back into the awaiting arms of the Gods. Not that Gajeel was a danger to his life but more so that Lucy is a glowing spirit, someone that relaxes and flares Natsu's soul at the same time. Who the hell cares if he's spending more time with Lucy then with the guys? She makes him happy, that's what matters.

"Let me do one last thing," she says thoughtful. She applies the dressing to his upper left arm; the already dried herbs underneath having his arm stiffen like a piece of drift wood. She ties the ends to secure the wrapping in place. "There, all done," she nods.

"Good. Thanks for that, Lucy," Natsu smiles.

She puts away the clay bowl filled with mashed herbs inside the ice-box, storing them for next time. She says that his wounds will need to be dressed with new wraps and a fresh coat of sickening herbs every setting and rising Igny—which sounds like overkill to Natsu. She washes her hands in the smallest water jug, silently kneeling before it long enough that she arouses his curiosity. She blankly stares at her hands that slowly rub together with water, the action being done out of habit rather than a need to get any gunk off.

"What's on your mind?" Natsu asks.

With a sigh, Lucy flicks her hands to whip away any excess water. "Sorry. It's only … I talked to Mas Ter while you were fighting." She slowly goes to sit next to him.

His eyes narrow. "Let me guess. The geezer did something pervy towards you. I told him to keep his hands away from you."

"He could be better but he wasn't that bad. We mostly talked about the reasoning for Gajeel's attitude."

"He's got a reason other than being stupid?"

She gives one hard chuckle. "Yes. Overall, Gajeel was jealous."

Natsu tilts his head to the side. "Of what? You?"

"Not exactly because of me but … I guess, yeah, me. Talk to Mas Ter, he can explain it better." She downturns her eyes with a bashful look, whatever's overcoming her also reflecting in her voice. "We also talked about … some things. About you."

"Was Mas Ter talkin' shit?" he asks.

"What? No, I don't think so. He was telling me how he thinks you've changed since meeting me."

"Not him, too," he groans frustrated. "What is up with the guys suddenly thinkin' I'm removing myself from the tribe?"

"He doesn't think that. Far from it, really. He knows that Gajeel's attitude is because he feels a little lonelier and nothing more. More so, he was telling me how he thinks you've … gotten soft."

"That sounds worse."

Lucy grabs an elbow in each hand—Natsu eyes her deepening cleavage and the way her amulet rests above it—and she looks down to the pelts. "Not as in strength. Like I said, you're still technically the Brave. He meant by your personality. Mas Ter says you've been … giving me things. That you're not aware of what's happening but that what you've been doing with me is considered …"

Natsu waits for her to go on but her mouth remains clamped shut. "I don't get what you're talking about," he says.

"Mas Ter thinks you've gotten like this because you see me as …"

He waits for an explanation, able to tell Lucy's struggling to find the right words, an unbelievable aspect considering how smart she is. She turns her burning face away from him, lips tight and eyebrows scrunching hard. She blushes about a lot of things and that makes it hard for him to tell what she could be thinking about. What's worse is that she's refusing to look at him.

What comes next out of her mouth as a breathless whisper wouldn't have been heard if it wasn't for Natsu's heightened hearing. "He said he … um, thinks you see me as a potential … mate."

Natsu sighs and slumps his shoulders. "Mas Ter sounds like he's spouting nonsense again."

Lucy slowly lifts her eyes towards him. "You ... don't see me like that?"

"I ain't got a clue what he means but it better be good."

She snaps her head up, the movement making him spasm from the sudden action, and she says determined. "You said we're family."

"Y-yeah," he says unsure, not understanding her behavior. "Was what Mas Ter said not good? I swear, Lucy, no matter what anyone else says, you're welcomed here."

His words calm her a little, giving a low sigh and softening the eyes. "I am happy for that, but the word 'mate', it-it means more than you think." She mutters. "It means to find someone more than a family member. A life …" She quiets down again.

"Spit it out, will ya?" he demands.

"Oh, forget it," she dismisses in a huff. She softly shakes her head as if she's disappointed in herself for not being able to say what she wants to.

"You made a big fuss about this. Tell me what's goin' on."

"No, I don't want to talk about this anymore."

Not wanting to do that, Natsu berates her a little longer on how weird she's acting and it gets them arguing for a short while. Why doesn't she want to explain herself? What the hell does 'mate' mean? Look him in the eyes, dammit.

"That's enough!" Lucy orders.

"I just want to know what you're talking about!"

She gets up and jerks open the ice-box to grab a stick of dried deer jerky, roughly taking a chunk out of it and chewing with vengeance. "I don't know what I see in you sometimes," she groans quietly, keeping her back on him.

That one sentence shots a burden through Natsu's heart, making him regretfully look down to the bandage wrapped around his arm, put there with care, tended to with soft hands and concerned looks. Lucy went through all that trouble to help him out and he says thanks by demanding answers when she's not comfortable giving them. If Gajeel's threats never bothered her from the beginning, then he's not the cause of her hesitation. It sounds more like Mas Ter said something questionable to her. Trying to pry an answer out of Lucy is getting him nowhere, but Natsu still wants to make sure that she'll be able to go to sleep tonight without distress. Sure, she's avoiding the whole thing after she was the one that brought it up, and there's only so much patience he has, but he respects and cares for her too much to cause her any pain.

He doesn't want to admit that he's pouting but it's unavoidable. "I do appreciate you helping with my wounds," he says quietly.

Piquing her interest, Lucy turns to look over her shoulder at him and places a hand on her hip. "Of course, I couldn't leave you like that," she says calmer, though her voice edges with left-over anger.

"Come over here."

"What for?"

"I don't like you avoiding me. I get you don't want to talk about whatever that was before—sorry—but having you turn your back on me is worse."

She sighs and shakes her head a little, saying that she isn't avoiding him. To make her point, she returns to his side of her own accord, dropping to sit in the nest like a bag of rocks and evening her shoulder line to impose her will upon him. She harshly eats her jerky stick in a demeaning sort of manner.

Natsu faces her head on and is pleased when she doesn't turn her eyes away. "Gajeel didn't hurt you, right?"

"No, I wasn't touched," she says dubiously, once done chewing on her food.

After their sporadic fight, his shift in concern is obviously making her suspicious, but no matter where his concern is coming from, to Natsu, it will always be genuine. He softly reaches out and cups the side of her neck in a soft display that says he's no longer angry with her. He eyes the amulet on her chest and like always, it makes him glow from the inside out seeing her wear it. The pulse of her quickening heart beat under the tips of his fingers reassures him, saying that despite her own anger his touch brings eager anticipation to her blood.

"I don't really get Gajeel, but I won't let him harm you. I'll keep you safe," he says serious.

Lucy has gone still under his touch, skin burning with a rosy blush and eyes widening. "I-I don't think he means to harm me …"

"He probably doesn't, it's hard to tell with him, but what I said applies to anyone. That's a promise."

He's elated to find that any left-over fog in her eyes has disappeared, letting them shine like melted snow. She ducks her chin a little, lashes brushing against her cheeks in a half-lid look. "You promised me that long ago," she whispers.

"True. I only wanted to remind you of it. Also, don't turn your eyes away from me."

Natsu ducks forward and insistently kisses Lucy, pushing to have her head come up. Her eyes remain open wide in surprise against the kiss and he watches the way the colors in them waver, the emotions behind them fighting against one another on how to feel sporadically. It doesn't matter what was said before in their arguing, Natsu's mouth remains closed but he presses into her both his words of gratitude and apology.

She jerks her mouth away from his. "O-okay, okay, I won't forget!" she yells overwhelmed.

Slightly disappointed by that, he watches the way her blush returns at full force not with anger but from something else. She tries to respect his wishes and not turn away from him, but it's done with difficulty, her eyes twitching from him, off to the right, to the left and then back around to him. She's full of some emotion Natsu can't name.

"Why are you avoiding me?" he asks genuinely confused.

She keeps her eyes down on her knees. "I'm not doing that."

"Yeah, you are. We haven't been kissing, and when we do you backed away from me like you hate it."

"I don't hate it. I simply don't want to kiss right now, is all."

He cocks his head to the side. "That sounds like half-a-lie."

"It wasn't. We kiss so often that I'm ... bored. Wasn't it supposed to be something special?"

"You're bored of kissing?" he asks in disbelief.

She slumps her shoulders and finally looks at his face, although it's done with a skeptical raise of an eyebrow. "I stand by what I said."

He gives on hard chuckle, finding the oddity of her explanation almost funny. No way is she bored of kissing, he won't belief that. Hopefully she'll get over her strange mood soon and things can go back to normal.

Natsu rests his forehead against Lucy's. She struggles to keep close to him, eyes going wide and taking in a deep breath to hold it there. He lets her be, knowing she mustn't hate being near him as much as she acts, for she doesn't back away, doesn't shout for him to get away. He lets her go through whatever motion she's trying to figure out in her head. But maybe that's the problem right there. She must be overthinking something again, something that has to due with him, judging by how she's acting.

He comes to adore how she gently smiles and how her honey scent blossoms from her skin. Ah, there's the Lucy he knows.

The warmth of her body makes him want to have that heat under his fangs, settling his tongue against it to eat and enjoy it like he does with Igny. He looks down to the crook of her neck. It's a weird thought but it doesn't concern him much. It's not as if he wants to actually eat her. Her heightening pulse thumps hard under the hand that he keeps at the side of her neck and the beating of it is loud in his ears, a wild drum calling out. Although it's not possible ... Than again, maybe he actually can? If she doesn't want to kiss, then he can do something else to show his bond with her.

Natsu ducks down and without heed of the consequences, he lightly bits at Lucy's neck. The pinch of her skin under a fang and the started gasp she makes is exhilarating, something about it calling out to a part of him that always makes itself known but never fully takes control. Is this the dragon side of him or the human side speaking? Sometimes distinguishing the two is hard but never something he needs to be concerned with.

She jumps and pinches her shoulders inward, trying to stop him. "What are you doing?" she asks surprised.

He proceeds to drag his tongue up her neck.

"Oh, Gods, stop it! That's gross!"

He laughs, backing away. "No, it's not. What's the difference between that and kissing?"

"You licked me like a dog," she mummers, rubbing her hand against the trail of saliva he left on her neck.

Natsu chuckles and lightly bumps his forehead against her's.

Lucy rolls her eyes but can't keep a smile at bay. "I don't know what to do with you at times."

He scoots a little closer to her, never minding the pain in his stomach and only taking pleasure in that bell-like chime in her voice. Natsu's smile turns into a cheeky grin. He grabs the sides of her face in both of his hands and beings to rub his hair into her's, making her laugh.

* * *

**Authors Notes:**

**This chapter and the previous chapter were going to be put together as one but it became too long, so I split it up into two separate chapters. **

**I had difficulty finding if, during the Stone Age, bandages existed! The result was simply woven cotton.**

**Also, to anyone confused as to why Lucy would use the word 'mate' when in the last chapter she found the term embarrassing: in her mind, Natsu wouldn't have known what a life-partner was. She can sometimes see him as too simplistic and she thought the word 'mate' would have been more recognizable to males, since Mas Ter used that term firstly. Turns out, the opposite is true. Unfortunate, Lucy never used the term life-partner and they continue to be left clueless about one another.**

**Leave a chapter review, please! I'll update as soon as I can.**


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